Love at First Sight
by Tarlonniel
Summary: This is the tale of Buffalo Seer, who looked into the future and fell in love, then found out that neither love nor the future were as simple as she thought they'd be. Based on the game "A Foretold Affair," which is available either at the GB Patch Games website or on Steam.
1. Who Sees the Seers?

If you could see into your future, just once, how far ahead would you look?

Whenever an outsider came to consult me in the Walled Sanctuary, "How far?" was always the first question I asked. After, you know, "What's your name?" and "Can you believe the weather we've been having lately?", things like that. I've found that casual conversation helps to put Normals more at ease when they're facing a strange woman in purple robes and a buffalo mask.

So. The future. When I finally asked _the_ question, it tended to really throw Normals off. They just wanted to know how something in their lives was going to turn out. They didn't think about _when_. After asking the question over and over, I began to think about it myself. When would _I_ look, if I could? If they'd let me? I was young when I first asked myself that - maybe twelve, it's hard to know in a Sanctuary - and I kept asking for years and years afterwards. When would I look? What would I See?

It's not completely unprecedented for a Seer to ask to look into their own future, but it's not exactly encouraged. The opposite, in fact. They can't stop you from asking, of course, but they do a good job of letting you know that Seeing can be dangerous, especially when it's done for personal reasons. I understood. I followed the rules. But I never stopped wanting to know, _needing_ to know. And, at last, I got my chance.

It's hard to tell what an Abnormal is thinking or feeling behind their mask, and it was even harder then, sitting in a large room lit by a single candle, looking at the Council members where they sat across from me - Dog Healer to the left, Bird Seer to the right, Antelope Reader between them.

"Welcome, Buffalo Seer," said Dog Healer.

"I am pleased to be here. Thank you for granting me this audience." I tried to sit up straight and tall on my low stool.

"You have shown great diligence in your duties and respect for our order," Dog Healer said.

I couldn't read anything in their monotone. They'd gotten much better at hiding their emotions. "That is kind of you to say," I replied, wondering.

There was silence for a moment. Antelope Reader's mask dipped forward slightly, their curved horns glinting in the candlelight. "Because of your consistency, we are granting you your request. You now have permission to look into your own future."

I almost fell off my stool. I couldn't believe it.

"Remember," added Bird Seer, shaking their beak for emphasis, "the Council will see whatever it is that you do. Do you accept?"

I had to take a moment to catch my breath and steady my voice. "Of course. I have no fear of what is to come."

Antelope Reader nodded. "Very well, you may begin."

I'd decided long ago. Three years. Not too close, not too far. Maybe - probably - I wouldn't see anything special, but I'd always had a feeling, or at least a hope, that my future would be different from my past. Slowly, reverently, like so many times before, I opened myself to the light. It began to flow into me, then through me and out again, dancing, into the room, gleaming back from the masks of the Council, filling the darkness with the memory of sunlight filtered through clear water. And as I watched, I began to See.

 _A room, richly furnished. Someone thin and very tall coming towards me. A man, I think. It's... strange here. Why are there no robes? No masks?_

 _The light grows brighter. Forbidden words begin to whisper through my mind. "Home". "Love". "Husband". The man's warm smile fades a little as he tilts his head at me, puzzled. Grayish-brown skin. Dark gray eyes. Long, black hair._

 _The light starts to fade, but not until it gives me one more word._

 _January._

The light was gone. I blinked my eyes, dumbstruck. It was impossible. It was illegal. I looked at the others, but they were silent, as shocked as I was.

"You all must have seen it as well," I said at last. "Have I made a mistake? Was that truly correct?"

They all shifted uncomfortably in their seats. "You know as well as I that false visions are an impossibility," said Antelope Reader. "What we saw today will someday come to pass." They paused, shaking their head slowly. "What will you do now?"

Do. What would I do. This stumped me completely at first. I never imagined there would be anything _to_ do. I'd spent my entire life studying, sleeping, eating, waiting, reading, sleeping, eating, waiting... "With your permission, I wish to leave immediately," I heard myself say.

The three nodded curtly, in unison. "It is likely for the best," said Dog Healer. "We give you leave."

Bird Seer heaved the smallest of sighs. "A Carrier will be called to send you out of the Walled Sanctuary. Is there anywhere you wish to be taken, specifically?"

I thought this over carefully. I'd studied maps of the local land fraction, and though I had no idea where my future husband might be, I did have an idea of where best to start looking for him. "Yes, to the capital city, Mierre."

"A wise choice. It will be as you request," said Bird Seer. They faded into the darkness, along with Dog Healer, leaving me alone with Antelope Reader and my own thoughts. My thoughts soon abandoned me as well, wandering back to explore the man in my vision.

"Buffalo Seer."

I jumped. I'd forgotten anyone else was in the room. "Yes?"

"The supplies you will need for your journey are being brought now. After that, you will be sent on your way."

"I understand."

"Good." I sensed, rather than saw, Antelope Reader narrow their eyes at me. "Do not let your vision of the future blind you to present necessities. Many go astray and suffer hardship due to such negligence. The society of Normals is not meant for us. You will not be welcome there. Remain cautious."

I nod solemnly, but my mind is already drifting away again. Normals. Mierre. January. Future.

What seems like only a moment later, Bird Seer and Dog Healer reappear.

"The time has come," said Bird Seer, resuming their seat. "All is prepared."

"Farewell, Buffalo Seer. You will be sorely missed." I thought I could hear something in Dog Healer's voice now. I felt a small stab of pain in response, but it was quickly lost in my growing excitement. I stood and bowed respectfully to the Council.

"Thank you for your assistance."

"And thank you as well for your expected cooperation. Safe travels." Antelope Reader's tone became firm, pointed. "And I do not expect to see you in this Sanctuary again."

I didn't even try to keep the smile off my face. "We are certainly agreed."


	2. Finding Normal

It was a long, dark ride from the Sanctuary to Mierre. I had to keep the curtains tightly closed and the driver never spoke to me; all I heard was the rumble of the wheels and an occasional hiss of steam. I spent the time going over my vision again and again, trying to recall every detail. I was half in love with my future husband before we set out. When we arrived, I was in love twice over and coming around for a third run at it. He seemed to me highly admirable - ultimately desirable - completely and totally _perfect_.

At last I found myself standing in the middle of Mierre at about midday. I had nothing besides the robes on my back, the mask on my face and an official letter of passage tucked in a side pocket, but I couldn't have been happier. Some niggling part of my mind tried to remind me about unimportant details - money, food, a place to sleep, perhaps some more appropriate clothing - but I ignored it, focusing on the city around me. The buildings were tall and very impressive, with many unfamiliar bits of machinery sticking up in places, but I had to admit that, on the whole, the capital seemed smaller than I'd expected. And it was hot. _Very_ hot. The sun glared down on me as I wandered through strange chasms of glass and brick and steel and the niggling part of my mind became more insistent about cooler clothes. I continued ignoring it. I was here, I was happy, I was looking for January, though I couldn't help but wonder if it would take me the whole three years to find him.

As I wandered along, I started to realize that something very strange was going on. The streets were deserted. In the Sanctuary this would've been business as usual, but I'd assumed that Normal cities were different. I saw shops and houses lining the walls on either side as I passed by, but they were all closed up, their windows dark. I went over the list of Normal holidays in my mind without finding one that matched up. Finally, after turning yet another corner, I spotted someone nearby, a smartly-dressed woman with long, greenish-blue hair waving about her face and shoulders.

"Excuse me!" I called out, at which she turned vivid purple eyes my way. "Good afternoon," I continued, walking up to where she stood half-leaning against the wall beneath an awning. I noted in passing that she was several inches shorter than me - was one of us unusually sized, I wondered, and if so, which one? "Finally I have found somebody. May I ask you something?"

She looked startled. "Who, me?"

"Of course. You must have realized there is no one else to ask. Or anyone else at all." I paused, considering. "Actually, I want to ask two things."

She stared at me with a baffled expression on her face. "You must be new here."

"Yes, very," I agreed, moving into the shade. "Will you answer my questions?"

She shrugged. "I don't mind. Ask away."

"Good. First, I am trying to find someone specific. Second, this city is empty and I do not understand why. Can you help me with either of these things?"

She looked around casually. "Ah, yes. It's quite empty. Everyone's hiding, you see."

"Hiding? From what?"

"From me." Her tone didn't change, but there was suddenly a subtle threat in it. "I'm armed," she added, gesturing to a gleaming metal object hanging from her belt. "Most people are too afraid to come near me, much less start a conversation." She smiled without a trace of warmth. "Sorry I can't be of more help. I'm busy with my own search for someone right now."

I had a vague sense that I was supposed to be intimidated, but I couldn't imagine why. "What a coincidence! I admit that I am still a bit unclear on why everyone is hiding. What do you intend to do to them?"

"Nothing, as long as they stay out of my way, and that's exactly why no one is around to get _in_ my way. Except for you, of course, and since you're here..." In one swift movement she took the metal object from her belt and pointed its gleaming cylinder at my head. I'd seen drawings of such weapons before, and if I remembered correctly, they could be both dangerous and unpredictable. "Maybe you could answer a few questions for _me_? I'm in a rush and want to know if you've seen who I'm looking for."

"I have only just arrived; you are the first person I have seen. Let me also say that your behavior is both reckless and unreasonable. Killing me could not possibly benefit you, if, indeed, you did intend to kill me, which you do not. This posturing is useless. And is that device not illegal?"

After a moment of thought the woman took a step back and lowered her weapon. "Yes. It's also quite illegal to dress like someone from the Sanctuary, but you don't seem to mind."

I blinked behind my mask. "How intriguing. I did not expect a Normal to understand what these clothes meant."

She put the metal device back on her belt. "I know a few things. If you'll excuse me, we're both people with things to do, and I must carry on. Good luck finding who you're looking for."

"Thank you. Unfortunately, given your dubious intentions, it seems I cannot, in good conscience, wish you the same."

She shrugged again and walked away. "It doesn't matter," she said, not looking back at me. "I don't need luck."

I shook my head before glancing around again. The streets were still empty. I started off in a random direction, but I'd hardly gone half a block before I found my next adventure.

"Hey, spook." The unexpected voice made me jump a little. Out from the shadows of a small side street slipped another relatively short figure. They wore a low cap and heavy jacket, along with a scarf across the lower half of their face, all in shades of red and brown; the only parts of themselves visible were their short yellow hair, light eyes and a bit of gray skin.

I frowned at them, though, of course, they couldn't see it. "My name is not 'spook.' It is Buffalo Seer. Can I help you?"

They sidled up to me cautiously. "Don't cha know you can't go around lookin' like that? If not for the lockdown you'd 'ave been arrested in no time."

"Two in one day who recognize my clothes. How bizarre. Or did you happen to overhear the conversation I had earlier?"

They were looking me over carefully. "Mmm... that I did, but it don't change the fact that you're breakin' the law."

An eavesdropper, then. Possibly a spy. This empty city seemed to be full of suspicious characters. "On the contrary. I am a Seer and I have Seen, in my own future, that I will marry someone from outside the Sanctuary, so I have come here to look for him. Perhaps you can help me?" It was a long shot, but at this point I was getting desperate.

The newcomer stared at me, speechless, and when they continued they'd lost most of their peculiar accent. "I... There's so much wrong with that, I don't even know where to begin." Their eyes narrowed. "If you can see the future, why don't cha just look to see exactly where and when you're gonna find this guy?"

I shook my head emphatically. "All I have seen is a moment from after our marriage and that is all I will see. I do not want to spoil the surprise of our relationship."

The suspicious character made a face, almost as if they were in pain. "Work with me here."

"Will you help me find who I'm looking for?"

They acted as if they hadn't heard me. After a moment they began muttering to themselves, pacing back and forth on the pavement. "Now what do I do? Why did this have to happen today, of all days!"

I shrugged and walked away. My new acquaintance was too preoccupied to notice. I gave in to the niggling part of my mind and decided to get some new clothes soon; the ones I had were much more recognizable than I'd thought they'd be.

After walking down a few more long streets I found myself coming out into a pleasant-looking plaza with a fountain splashing cheerfully away at its center. There, sitting on the low wall around the water, was the third person I'd seen in almost two hours. It was another woman, one with very short pinkish-orange hair curling around her dark head, rose-colored eyes, and a rather stylish, warmly-colored dress with a full skirt. I was beginning to realize just how varied and colorful fashions were in the outer lands. "Hello there, stranger," I said as I approached. "Perhaps you could help me?"

Again I was met with a look of surprise. "Why are you dressed like someone from the Sanctuary? Are you trying to get arrested?"

I definitely, undeniably, desperately needed some new clothes. "How many Normals are going to recognize that today?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You've met others who knew?"

" _Everyone_ I have met has known. True, that is only three people thus far, including yourself, but it is still remarkable." I sighed. "If you require an explanation, I will provide one, but I would like to ask for your help afterwards."

She nodded and stood up, which set her white earrings aswaying. "Well, I am sort of in the middle of something, but if you make it quick I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, I will." I took a deep breath. "You see, my name is Buffalo Seer and I have looked into my own future. In it, I Saw that I would be married to a person from outside the Sanctuary, so I was allowed to leave in order to find him." I began to wonder how many times I'd need to give this explanation and if I should simply have it printed up on small cards to hand to people. "Now I am here, and so far have had no luck at all. Thankfully you seem much more reasonable than the others I have encountered."

The woman wore an increasingly familiar look of shock, but she recovered quickly. "Ah. That's... something. Welcome to Mierre, then, Buffalo Seer. My name is Piper." She frowned slightly. "You can see into the future, huh? That's a rather interesting ability, though not a good idea."

I held up a hand to stop her. "So I have been told, trust me. That was the first and last time I will use my power on myself. Anyway, the man I am looking for-"

"Hold it!" The suspicious scarf-wearing person ran up to us, pulling out a badge. "I wasn't finished with you yet. My name is Officer Kea, and you're going to have to come with me."

Piper smirked at the supposed official. "Well, hello, officer. Don't the police have more important things to be doing right now?"

They glared at her. "Hello, miss."

"It's Piper," she said.

"Mmm. Well, Piper, it's true that I'm very busy, but I can't have a mentally imbalanced Abnormal, or someone pretending to be one, running around unsupervised. I'm gonna take care of this real quick and then get back to the task at hand. You should be getting inside where it's safe." They turned to me. "You're coming with me to the police station where we can decide what to do with you."

Police officer or not, this person was becoming very annoying. I waved a finger at them. "I am also busy! I have not found the love of my life yet! You go do that _other_ task of yours and I will make my way to the station later, after I have completed my inquiries. You can go over my letter of passage then to your heart's content."

The "officer" completely ignored me. "And stop talking so loudly about seeing the future! Do you wanna make this situation worse than it already is?"

Piper was looking at me with great interest. "So you've seen what your future spouse looks like? Exactly?"

"Yes!" I replied, warming to the subject. "I can picture him vividly, and I even know his name!"

"What does he look like?" she asked.

"Don't answer that," the other put in.

I ignored the "officer" as pointedly as I could. "Well, he is very tall, unusually so, I believe, and _quite_ dashing. He has lovely skin, somewhere between gray and tan in color, and gray eyes like dark, smoke-filled jewels, though they are not quite as dark as his long, luscious hair. His name is January." I expected the others to be very impressed by my description of my almost-fiance's charms. They did, indeed, look astonished. The annoying one's light eyes kept growing wider and wider. Piper regained her composure almost immediately and began to laugh.

"Your future has a sense of humor. This certainly isn't the time I would want to be looking for that man," she said.

"There's no way that can be right!" the Annoyance put in. "This is some kind of mistake, or maybe a trick. I'm _certain_ it's a trick."

It was my turn to be surprised - and completely delighted. My heart began doing strange things in my chest. "Wait, are you saying you know January?!"

Piper shot an amused glance at our companion. "We certainly do."

The Annoyance looked around uncomfortably before shrugging in defeat. "Fine, yes. I'm trying to bring him to the police station as well. If you want to see him, you'll have to come there with me."

I had a wonderful idea. "What if we split up and both look? It will be faster."

" _NO_. You. Are coming. With me."

I should've known that the Annoyance would be immune to wonderful ideas. I sighed. "Is getting people to the station all you think about?"

"Right now it is!" they exclaimed, becoming even more frustrated.

Piper's smooth voice suddenly cut in, dropped to a whisper. "Looks like we have company, and I don't think it's another police officer." We followed her gaze toward one edge of the plaza. A lone figure, their face concealed by a bit of cloth, was beginning to make their way towards us.

"You two should hide," whispered the Annoyance. "I can handle this."

Piper started moving toward the stranger. "I think I'd rather stay," she tossed back over her shoulder. "I know what I'm getting into when it comes to _that_ bunch."

I turned without hesitation and took off across the plaza in the opposite direction. I had a husband to find. The Annoyance whispered something at me as I went, but I paid no attention.

"Don't fret too much, Kea," I heard Piper call out, amusement in her voice. "Someone like that isn't going to be hard to find again later, and you couldn't possibly abandon a civilian such as myself to be threatened by a professional thug, right?"

"Why are you helping them?!" the Annoyance replied. That was the last thing I heard before I left the cheerful water-music of the fountain behind and returned to my quest.


	3. Early January in Late July

The streets were still empty; I couldn't quite decide whether I was glad or disappointed about that. The idea of crowded streets was exotic and fascinating in the isolation of the Sanctuary, but to actually be around so many people, so close to me, all unmasked, all dressed so very differently... I wasn't quite sure if I'd actually like it. These quiet streets felt safer, more familiar, in comparison.

I found myself wandering past row after row of red brick houses. Eventually I turned into a small alleyway which cut back between the buildings; it was darker and cooler there and I hoped to find a place where I could rest awhile. I'd gone some distance and turned a few corners when I nearly ran into someone. Both the figure and I started back hastily. They were very tall and thin - the first person I'd met who was taller than me. At first all I saw was an elegant green and yellow vest over a ruffled shirt, but as I looked up, I got a thrill. Rich brown skin. Dark, delicately tapered gray eyes. Long, black, silky hair twisted into an elaborate braid.

"January!" I cried out. "I have been looking for you everywhere - I am _so_ glad I found you at last!"

His lovely eyes widened. He stared at me for a moment, nervously clutching a pair of red opera glasses in slender, white-gloved hands. Then he turned and ran. His legs were very long and his well-tailored trousers much more suited to sprinting than my heavy purple robes; I struggled to keep up with him. "Wait! Where are you going? I need to talk to you! We are to be married!"

He slowed, then, at last, stopped and turned back towards me, his narrow eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "Pardon me?"

"I did not mean to startle you," I gasped, holding up my hands in what I hoped was an appeasing gesture. "Did I say something wrong?"

He took a few steps backwards, still frowning at me. He was wearing a finely-wrought silver monocle over his right eye, I noticed, though I couldn't imagine how he kept it in place while dodging through back alleys. Clearly he had hidden talents. I was so busy trying to take him all in that I nearly missed his next question. "Who are you and what do you want from me?"

I tried to make my voice as soothing as possible. "My name is Buffalo Seer, and I have come from the Walled Sanctuary to tell you about your future."

Both of his eyebrows shot up. "My future..? You're saying you're not... Normal?"

"Indeed. I have the ability to show other people their future, and I have Seen my own." January still had a tight grip on the opera glasses and a worried look on his face, but he seemed to relax slightly. I continued. "According to my vision, I was meant to meet you."

"Really? That is very strange..." He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Um, does that mean you could show me _my_ future?"

"Of course! In fact, that is exactly what I want to do, if you will let me; I would like to show you what happens a few years from now."

He actually looked pleased now, almost eager. "Oh, yes, please do! I'm greatly interested."

I nearly clapped my hands in joy. "Perfect! Just hold still for a moment and I will show you." I took a deep breath before focusing my power on him, sending his mind forward to the time I myself had Seen. Light filled the alley all around us, shining from the silver pipes and the sheer walls and the slim form of my beloved. January closed his dark eyes slowly; when the light faded after a few moments and he opened them again, he gave me a look so intense that it nearly knocked me down.

"Well? Did you see? What do you think of your future?" I asked. I was actually shaking a little. I felt like the next minute would be the most important of my life.

"It seems..." he said, then paused.

"Yes?" I could barely breathe.

"That in my future I'm going to be... married."

"Mhm." _Yes yes yes yes yes_ went my heart. I was beginning to feel light-headed.

"And..." He glanced away, beginning to jerkily spin the opera glasses between his smooth hands. "And it seems that I will be married to..."

I was sure I'd pass out if this took much longer. He turned his head to one side and his body stiffened, as if he were expecting a blow, but he kept looking at me out of the corners of his eyes. "... You."

"I know!" I burst out. "I Saw the same thing! That is why I have come all the way from the Walled Sanctuary just to find you. I thought - hoped - that you would be... glad." Despite my best efforts, I couldn't keep uncertainty from creeping into my heart and voice; during the journey to Mierre the niggling part of my mind had conjured up various doubts about January and our future together, which I, of course, immediately crushed as vile and unworthy. They slowly began to re-emerge. Maybe he wasn't glad at all. Maybe he was going to turn around and keep running. Not that I would hold it against him, of course, but the thought of it hurt me.

He kept staring blankly. I began to think I'd done everything wrong. Of _course_ a man of refinement wouldn't want to marry a masked stranger who introduced themselves by shouting at him and chasing him down back alleys. It was far too late to fix things now; perhaps I should just leave, find a way to appear more Normal, make an attempt at a proper introduction...

He hugged me. I felt his arms around me, thin and firm, almost before I knew what was happening. I'd never been hugged before. I couldn't remember the last time I'd even been touched. Unless there was an emergency, everyone in the Sanctuary was required to stay at a good arm's length from everyone else at all times. I froze.

"This is wonderful! I can honestly say that I've never been happier to meet anyone in my life, Buffalo Seer!"

"Really?" I gasped, trying to collect my scattered thoughts. "How... how grand! I am happy that you are happy, January." He was still holding me tight. I had no idea what to do. We were meant to be together, true, but I'd never imagined things would work out as suddenly and perfectly as this.

A few moments later, he pulled away as abruptly as he had embraced me. His face was serious. "Although I'm thrilled to meet you, I must tell you that I'm a dangerous man to be around at the moment - there are bounty hunters looking for me."


	4. Planning a Honeymoon Escape

" _What?_ " I straightened up, immediately filled with indignation. "That is terrible! Something should be done about it! Do you know, I believe I have someone searching for me, too - a 'police officer' who insists on taking me to the 'station.' They are quite persistent."

"That is awful. It seems we have much in common."

"That is so true! We are both taller than average, we are both in Mierre, we... look, we both wear gloves!" I held up my hands in their black cloth coverings.

"You're right," he said, and laughed. The sound washed over me like sweet music. Unfortunately, at that very moment we were interrupted; there, running up the alley, came Piper and my dogged pursuer, both looking relieved to see us.

"I'm glad I found you, Duke January," the scarved one called out. "My name is Officer Kea, and I'll take you to the safety of the police station now."

January gave me a questioning look. "Is this the officer you were speaking about?"

"Yes," I said, glaring down at them. "Still harping about the station, I see."

They sighed and shook their head. "You're too free with information. I'm just doing my job, which includes dealing with people from the Sanctuary. Anyway, both of you need to come with me right away."

"Kea's right, you know," Piper said. "Bounty hunters are still all over the city; the police station would be the safest place."

"What do you think, Buffalo Seer?" said January.

"Why are you asking _them_?" said the officer.

I ignored the interruption and gave January's question careful thought. Eventually, I nodded. "Though we know our lives are not really in danger, it still makes sense to go."

"I agree. We will go with you, officer."

"Why are you listening to them?" Officer Kea looked at me. "Augh! You told him, didn't you?"

"Yes, of course I did."

They turned back to January. "And you believe this stranger, Duke?"

"Yes, of course I do."

Officer Kea groaned. As they stood there shaking their head slowly, Piper spoke up. "Mind if I join you, Kea? I know the captain and I'd like to talk with him about what's going on."

The officer sighed and finally gave in. "Alright, fine. All of you follow me."

The sun was going down and the air starting to cool a little when we reached the police station, which filled the lower floors of an impressive building near the city center. Officer Kea ushered us into a large room decorated in red and purple; it was filled to bursting with bookshelves, strange mechanical devices, maps of Vespen, fliers, sketches, and an abundance of desks, tables and chairs, but, as far as people went, it was as deserted as the streets outside. Unfortunately for us, the missing officers had left behind them a strong, foul-smelling miasma of smoke, sweat and oil.

Officer Kea took Piper and my letter of passage and stalked over to a brass-plated door on the far side of the room, leaving January and I alone together. As the door closed behind them, January turned to me with a handsome but slightly nervous smile. "Things will be all right, won't they?"

"Definitely," I said with all the conviction I could muster. "There is nothing left to worry about."

He sighed with relief and folded his tall frame into one of the nearby chairs, but not before gesturing politely toward the one next to him, which I gladly took. He glanced over at the brass-plated door. "I wonder when they'll be back and what they're talking about..."

I shrugged. "I really do not care, though I hope it will take awhile. The more time I have with you the better."

He brightened up. "I agree. We have so much to talk about. I know very little of the Sanctuary and I imagine you know very little of life outside it."

"That is very true. All I knew about Normal life until today was the little I read in books or learned from supplicants." I sighed happily. "I am glad this worked out so well. Not everyone is as accepting of their future as you are, January."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Some people get very upset."

"If everyone saw a future as pleasurable as mine, there would never be a problem."

I smiled and blushed under my mask. He was so very charming! After a deep breath, I decided to take the plunge. "In that case, can I ask you a question?"

He still wore a bright smile. "Certainly, go right ahead."

"Will you marry me?"

His eyes widened and it was his turn to blush, which he did, clear up to his elegant eyebrows. It was enchanting. "You're serious?"

"Of course!" I clasped my hands together eagerly. "I am completely unfamiliar with Normal marriage customs, but whatever they are, I am willing to observe them. I only hope they are not... time-consuming. I have waited long enough, and I do not want to put it off." January gave me a deeply thoughtful look, then turned away slightly in his chair. I faltered. "What is wrong?"

"I'm... very surprised at this turn of events," he said slowly. "I must think things over."

"Oh, yes, of course. Please do." We sat in silence for a minute. A clock ticked away on one of the desks nearby. Perhaps this wasn't an appropriate time or place for a proposal, I reflected, but I had no idea what _was_ appropriate. Or customary. Or... anything.

I saw one corner of his mouth quirk up a bit, then he turned to face me again, wearing the warm smile with which I was already so familiar. "Yes, Buffalo Seer, I will marry you. I don't want to keep waiting either." He was blushing again as he said it and my heart nearly burst with joy.

"You mean it?"

"Yes."

I clapped my hands in excitement, which made him giggle. "Is there more to it? Getting married, I mean? How soon can we start?"

"Ah, well, there's... that is..." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "We should have some kind of gathering at my estate in order to celebrate, but that is a social requirement, not a ceremonial one. Typically there are legal matters to deal with - papers to sign, things of that nature - but you have no legal existence outside the walls of the Sanctuary, so..." He smiled and waved the gloved hand holding his pair of opera glasses. "In short, no. That is, we can be married just as soon as we wish. Right now, if you'd like."

"Then I take you as my husband, Duke January," I said, holding out my nearest hand to him. He placed his white glove softly in my black one. It was a strange feeling.

"And I take you as my wife, Buffalo Seer," he said. He laughed softly. "I can't believe it; I hardly know what to think. I never expected to be able to do such a thing."

"Neither did I." I let out a breath I'd been holding without knowing it. "You see, Abnormals are never allowed to marry, or even become especially close to others, physically or emotionally. This is all very new to me."

January gave me an odd look and laughed again, though this time it sounded strangely hollow. "I never knew that about Abnormals. I suppose that makes us quite the pair."

"A fine pair!" I said.

"But if Abnormals are not allowed to be close, does that mean..." He took his hand from mine, uncertainty on his face. "When I hugged you earlier, you seemed uncomfortable. Is that why? Perhaps I should apologize."

I shook my head vigorously. "No, no, it was quite all right, just surprising. But tell me, why did you think you would never be married?"

He suddenly looked nervous again. He glanced over his shoulder at the brass-plated door. "I promise to tell you, but... not here."

"I see." I beat down my curiosity firmly. "Whenever you are ready to tell me, I will be ready to listen."

He looked at me with gratitude, but before we could say anything further, Piper and Officer Kea re-entered, followed by a small uniformed man who I assumed to be the police captain. They walked over to us and we rose to meet them.

"Thank you for your patience, Duke January," said the captain. He looked harassed and tired - not a surprise, given all that was going on. "After consulting with Officer Kea, we've decided that you should remain here under police protection until the threat of capture has passed."

January folded his long arms and began tapping one foot in a charmingly impatient manner. "I'm sorry to say, Captain, that I am far from thrilled to hear it. I would much prefer to leave as soon as possible."

Officer Kea stepped in. "Be reasonable, Duke. We've thought this through and feel it's much safer than leaving."

"Exactly," said the captain. "The bounty on your head is no small sum and we have yet to identify who placed it. Until they are found, or withdraw the offer, the hunters will not stop trying to find you. We will do everything in our power to identify the culprit, but until that time you need to remain as inconspicuous as possible."

Piper raised her hand and stepped in. "The captain's right about one thing. There's no bigger threat than Trinette. She's a highly successful bounty hunter with many employees and resources. I'll tell you one thing, though - she can be malicious and stubborn, but she is first and foremost a businesswoman. That works in our favor. All you have to do is get so far out of reach that the cost of bringing you in outweighs the promised reward. Once that happens, she'll give up the chase."

"Who is Trinette?" I put in.

Officer Kea narrowed their eyes. "The woman from earlier who pulled a gun on you. I was moments away from intervening."

" _What?_ " I instantly moved Trinette from the category of "troublemaker" to "mortal enemy."

January was frowning. "Excuse me, but how long do you think I'll have to wait?"

Piper thought it over. "A couple weeks, maybe a month if it's an amazing offer. A group can't go much longer than that without collecting a reward."

"Oh." My new husband looked as unhappy as I felt.

"Come on now," said Officer Kea, "you can tolerate being here for a few weeks."

January didn't look convinced. Piper stepped in again. "Well, as you all saw, populated areas are no deterrent for Trinette, even the capital. Since that's the case, and since most of your officers are tied up either protecting civilians or searching for the one who placed the bounty, I don't think it's entirely unreasonable for the duke to stay elsewhere, as long as it's secure."

January brightened immediately. "I'm pleased to hear it! In that case, I would prefer to go back home. It is certainly well protected."

Officer Kea shook their head firmly. "Isn't the house you're talkin' about on the surface? You'll be nothin' but a sitting duck down there."

"Mm, I didn't realize your house was off the land fraction, Duke," Piper said. "I side with Kea on this one. Trinette will not only be expecting you to go that way, but you'll have nowhere to hide."

"Clearly that is not an option," the captain said. "I repeat my offer of police protection. We can arrange some accommodations nearby."

January looked bound and determined to have his own way. It was thrilling. "Very well. If we cannot go to my home on the surface, my family owns another property that is also quite secure."

"Where is that?" said the captain.

"On the other side of the land fraction."

The three experts looked at each other, considering this. Kea and Piper eventually gave a nod. "That would be less obvious," said Kea, "and at least on the land fraction there are ways to keep outta sight."

"That's true. I'd say it's the better option of the two," said Piper.

January looked relieved. "I'm glad you all agree. I would like to go there, then; I don't wish to be a burden on the police any longer. Frankly, I'm not worried about what the bounty hunters may do to me, but the disruptions they cause are serious."

The captain was shaking his head. "It's our job to take care of the citizenry, so there's no need to worry about inconveniencing us. I'd much prefer you remain here."

"I'm sorry, but I would prefer to leave. As much as I have appreciated your assistance, you cannot rightly compel me to remain. If I wish to leave, that is my decision."

The Captain sighed and grumbled for a bit, but my love's logic was impeccable. "I can't disagree, loath as I am to admit it. At least give me some peace of mind by taking an escort with you. I can round up the officers I still have available."

"Excuse me, sir, but I don't think that would be such a good idea," Piper said.

"What do you mean?"

"A large group might be more secure, but it's also much easier to find. Trinette is armed - avoiding a fight should be our priority. Not to mention that crossing the land fraction means going through some narrow and unstable places. In my opinion the duke's best chance is to go with a small group and finish the trip as quickly as possible."

Kea nodded. "She has a point, Captain. Besides, you need all the help you can get trackin' down whoever placed the bounty. If the bounty disappears, the hunters will give up, even if they already have the duke."

"If you'd like to do more, perhaps you could create a distraction here in the city, giving the duke a chance to slip out quietly," Piper said. "Some kind of false escort party heading in the opposite direction would do the trick. Then have the duke and a few others make for his house as fast as they can go."

The captain gave in at last. "Yes, that's sound thinking. We'll do everything on our end to make as appealing a target as possible. Now, since the group is aiming to be low profile, I will assign Officer Kea to join you. They're here on an undercover assignment anyway, so no one will recognize them as a police officer."

"I understand," said Kea. "Who else will be assigned?"

"I think I'd better come," said Piper. "I know the area outside the city well and have more experience with bounty hunters than anyone else here."

January looked satisfied. "Yes, the four of us should make a fine travelling party."

The others looked at him in confusion. "Four?" said Kea. "You want the captain to come?"

"Certainly not," January said, holding up a hand in protest. "One police officer is enough, I think. I mean that my wife will be joining us. That makes four."

I beamed behind my mask. "Yes. Of course I'll be going with my husband."

" _What?!_ " Kea burst out. "Your _wife_? What do you mean?"

The captain was staring in shock; Piper struggled to hide a smile. January and I looked at each other and shrugged. "He means that we are married," I said.

"But... you... that's impossible! We only left you alone for half an hour!" Kea protested.

"We have only been married for - what would you say, dear, fifteen minutes?" I looked at January, who nodded in agreement, smiling contentedly.

Kea collapsed into a chair and pulled their scarf up over their face. The captain was still trying to take this in. Piper stopped trying to hide her amusement and laughed out loud. "Congratulations, you two," she said. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Thank you," said January.

"We do," I said.

The captain walked over to Kea and they began whispering together. After a minute or so, Kea pulled the scarf down from over their eyes and stood up again. "Fine. Fine. Look, we're tryin' to be inconspicuous here, and _you_ ," they pointed at me, "are about as conspicuous as it is possible to be. You can't come along like that."

"That's easily fixed. We will find her some different clothes," January said.

"Where? Everything's closed!"

"I think I can handle it," said Piper with a grin, ignoring the look Kea gave her. "Why don't we just make a list?"

I stepped aside with her to one of the desks and we wrote down the bare essentials. At the end I added an extra item, circling it twice. Piper raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "I see. That's a bit of a tall order, but maybe I can come up with something." She blew on the ink to dry it and tucked the paper into a pouch on her belt. When we rejoined the others, Kea and the captain had managed to recover themselves.

January welcomed me back with a smile. "Since the party has been decided, I would like to leave first thing tomorrow morning. I trust that won't be a problem for you, Captain?"

"Not at all, Duke. I can have a room prepared for you and... the duchess... to sleep in tonight where you'll be safe until morning, at least. Officer Kea, Miss Piper, you are free to go make whatever preparations you see fit. We will leave at dawn tomorrow."

Hooray! I glanced happily at January, who seemed equally pleased. "Sleep well, you two," Piper said. "Should be a busy day tomorrow." She left with a wink and a little wave of her hand. Kea slipped out after her.

The captain led my husband and I through one of the many other doors opening off the large room, down a long hallway and up several flights of stairs before we reached our destination. "I'll see about having some dinner sent up," he said as he showed us into a double-bedded room with closely curtained windows. "If you'll take my advice, get as much sleep as you can before morning. There's no telling what will happen on the road. And I know it's getting dark, but still, keep the gaslights turned low or off altogether. It's safer that way."

He left and I collapsed onto one of the beds. I'd suddenly realized that I was exhausted. The room was already shadowy with twilight; from where I lay, January's tall, dark figure looked like little more than another shadow, but I thought he was smiling at me. "Would you prefer sleep to dinner?" he said.

"Honestly, yes." I'd never had such a day. I wasn't quite able to take it all in yet. "This is _nothing_ like the Walled Sanctuary."

"It is not much like my estate on the surface, either." January's shadow sat at the foot of the other bed. "I spend very little time in Mierre. To think that you would leave the Sanctuary just in time to find me on one of these rare occasions... it is a remarkable coincidence."

"Or perhaps not." His head turned toward me and tilted a little, questioning. "I am a Seer, which means it is difficult to be sure whether coincidences are _truly_ coincidences. There are times when our power works on a subconscious level."

"I see. Abnormals truly are... something apart." He was silent for a time. "Were you ever lonely in the Sanctuary?"

"I am not sure. What does it mean to be lonely?"

He rose and stood motionless for a moment, then slowly held out one delicate hand in front of him, palm upwards, as if waiting for someone to take it. His face looked sad and distant in the dim light from the windows, and as the hand remained there, empty, the sadness seemed to grow. Eventually I couldn't stand it any longer. I sat up and reached over to place the fingers of my own hand in his.

The sadness vanished. "Now I'm no longer lonely," he said, smiling.

"I'm glad." I studied our hands, black against white. "Perhaps, in order to know emptiness, we must first know fullness."

"Perhaps." He ran his thumb gently over my fingers, then drew his hand away. "If you wish to use the washroom and go straight to sleep, I will wait up until dinner comes. I can set some aside for you, if you wish, in case you wake up hungry."

"Thank you. You're very kind, January."

"It is my pleasure."


	5. The Sound of Silence

Early next morning Piper arrived with my new clothes, which consisted of a simple, long-sleeved tunic, a pair of trousers and a voluminous cloak, all in light shades of brown or red; based on what I had seen so far, they were all far from fashionable, but I wasn't about to complain, especially since she'd managed to get the most important and rarest item: a veil. I assured myself that it was quite transparent in one direction and equally opaque in the other. It felt very different from a mask, but I was sure I could adjust. I decided to keep my old gloves and boots, since they weren't recognizable in any way.

January seemed rather nervous as we waited for the captain to come and fetch us. At first he had been very cheerful and complimentary, but after we'd been waiting some minutes he began clutching his opera glasses more tightly and talking to himself. "It's going to be fine. I'm going to make it through this."

"Are you alright, January?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, of course, you showed me that. It's just that things haven't worked out as I'd expected. But I shouldn't be worried, right? Indeed." He'd answered his own question, but not very convincingly, it seemed.

"I get the impression you have done a great deal of worrying. Why is that?"

He frowned, sinking deep in thought, which made him look especially dashing. "I was raised to be as cautious as possible. Having seen the future, however..." A light came into his eyes and he nodded emphatically. "I need to stop this. I'm wasting your generosity and a great opportunity to do more with my life. From now on, I will no longer allow hesitation to hinder me. Yes. I will be a participant for once." He seemed to be talking mostly to himself and his gaze remained fixed on some invisible thing very far away. I kept quiet and soon he turned to me. "Seer, tell me, how would you feel about staying on the surface? It's rather isolated, of course, but you'll have my company, and that of my employees."

"I would love that more than anything!"

His smile returned. "Wonderful. There, once this whole debacle is behind us, we can discuss our future in earnest."

"Let us hope this all goes smoothly, then."

"Quite so."

The captain arrived in short order and escorted us down to his office. Piper and Kea were waiting there, still, I noticed, in yesterday's outfits - I wondered whether this was due to some Normal custom or a simple lack of time. Piper smiled pleasantly as we came in but Kea had nearly-visible storm clouds hovering above their head. They glared at us, though they did, at least, ask if we'd slept well.

"I think I speak for both of us when I say we did," I replied, and January nodded his agreement.

"I could've slept better," Piper said. "I think it's been too long since I've gotten enough fresh air. Life in the city can be stifling." She gave a playful wink. "A little trip across the land fraction could be just what we all need, wouldn't you agree?"

January chuckled nervously. "I suppose."

Kea brought the pleasantries to an end by clearing their throat. "Since we'll be leaving soon, now's the time for me to explain the plan. Once we leave Mierre we'll follow one of the major rivers that cuts through the land fraction. We'll rest at night under whatever cover we can find and, if all goes well, we should get to Duke January's house tomorrow evening. Our rides are waiting for us outside the city limits; we'll be making our way out there through back alleys and side streets to keep out of sight. So far so good?" We all nodded. "At least you can listen. That'll be important during the trip. Now, Duke January, the Seer and Piper will be riding in a steam carriage. I'll take point in a gadabout. Both vehicles have a two-way radio, but their ranges are limited, so once we reach the ruins we'll be too far to call back here to Mierre. Hopefully by that point it won't matter."

Piper arched an eyebrow. "Not the best equipment for the city police. I've used radios that could reach all the way down to the surface."

"Yeah, well, most of our good radios are in use. These are the ones attached to the vehicles and they'll be plenty good enough for a two day trip."

She shrugged. "I don't mind, I was just saying."

"Yeah, it's just peachy that you're so tech savvy: you're driving."

"That's fine with me. I'd be happy to, in fact."

"Good. As for you, Seer, I want you to keep an eye out the back of the carriage for any trouble, and do your best to take care of your husband."

"With pleasure." I looked at January. He was smiling brightly, as happy as I was. I vowed that I wouldn't let him down.

"And, Duke, the only thing I need you to do is stay low and outta sight."

January frowned. "That's all?"

Kea laughed abruptly. "Trust me, a target not gettin' seen by bounty hunters is the biggest job any of us have, especially if the target's as tall as you are." January perked up a little at that.

"Well, the morning is wasting away," Piper said. "We'd best get a move on."

We slipped out into the alleyway behind the station, Kea in front, Piper close behind, January and I side by side in the rear, which seemed to me like the best possible arrangement. It was almost sunrise and I found the city very cool and pleasant, especially in my new, lighter clothes. The veil let me glance over at January without being too noticeable, which I liked very much. I kept wanting to get closer and hold his arm, the way I'd sometimes seen couples in pictures do, yet each time I moved a little closer, something pushed me back. There were faint voices lingering in the back of my mind, repeating the old lessons: "Keep your distance." "Never show your face." Those lessons were too deeply ingrained to be tossed away in a single day and they made me feel very confused at times.

Piper looked back at us occasionally, white earrings swaying, a knowing smile on her face. Kea ignored us. It didn't take long to cross the bridge to the larger land fraction and reach the very end of Mierre. Looking back, I saw that the mass of buildings, pipes and machinery was all lit up in lovely shades of pink and red by the dawn - and that it was as empty as ever. Probably because it was still early, I told myself. Next I looked over the shockingly low railing beside us. It was a long way down; I felt tempted to drop something off the side. It also occurred to me that down there, somewhere, was January's house. I couldn't imagine what the surface had to offer than the land fraction couldn't, but I was eager to find out.

Kea called me back to attention and gestured to the other side of the road. There were the two vehicles which had been prepared for us, the steam carriage rather large and imposing with its many tanks and complicated fittings, the gadabout smaller and sleeker, its mechanical legs built for speed.

"Alright." Kea looked around at us. "Two more things before we start. First, no one says 'Duke' or 'January' over the radios. He's just 'our friend' from here on out. Also, I'm just 'Kea' - no 'officer.' And you..." He looked at me. "'Buffalo Seer' screams 'Abnormal' and I'd rather not be sayin' it over the radios. Is there anything else we can call you?"

"That's my name. I have no other. Do Normals have more than one name?"

"Sometimes. Look, we'll just call you..." They thought for a moment. "Not duchess, that would be a _dead_ giveaway. Hmm. June."

"June?"

"Yeah. Y'know, June, January... whatever, it's good enough for now."

January smiled at me. "Hello, June."

"Hello, my friend." We both laughed.

Kea rolled their eyes. "Second thing. I kinda hate to do this, but I'm gonna go ahead and make us into a temporary task force. It'll be simpler that way if we run into trouble."

"How?" I asked.

"Well, you won't be guilty of assault if you end up having to fight someone, and... never mind, it's complicated. Let's get going before we attract attention."

Piper climbed into the control area in front of the steam carriage while January and I settled ourselves on a red-cushioned bench. There was dark wood paneling throughout the interior, along with several large windows and matching curtains, but the curtains were so tightly drawn that little light filtered in. Piper began flipping switches and the steam engine gave a dull roar; the whole vehicle shuddered as it came to life. She picked up a small corded object and pressed a button. "This is Piper calling Kea, you read me?"

Kea's voice crackled out of the radio. "I hear ya."

"Excellent. Piper out." She set the device aside, focusing on the controls in front of her. With a push of a lever the steam carriage began to chug forward; it rattled as it moved, but the ride was surprisingly smooth otherwise. Piper glanced back at us, running a dark hand through her rosy curls, then reached for the microphone again. "So, Kea, how do you want to use these radios? Should we leave them on all the time, or turn them on only when we need to talk with you? I wouldn't want to distract you with our conversations."

"Right, about that. The radios have to remain on the entire time and there will be no chatting. Keep things as quiet as possible."

"You expect us to spend the whole day in silence?" Piper said.

"Yes. Unless it's an emergency, no one should say anything."

I was completely dismayed. "Are you serious?"

"Did you not hear me the first two times? I need things quiet so I can listen and concentrate. What's more important than that?"

I frowned at the radio. "I had things I wanted to discuss with... our friend." A little thud came over the speaker. I think Kea was hitting their head on something.

January chimed in. "I also had things to discuss. This seems rather extreme. If the radio on our side is off you'll have all the silence you need. We can simply turn the radio back on if we ever need to get in touch."

"You've got the rest of your lives to have conversations. Radio on, mouths off, starting now."

I slumped back in my seat and glared venomously at the speaker. January hung his head.

"Mm," said Piper. "I understand. We'll be very, very quiet." Then she casually reached over and turned off the mic. I sat up. January gasped, then started to chuckle softly.

"You are going to to defy Kea?" I said with great admiration.

"Like January said, it was extreme."

January looked uneasy suddenly. "Won't Kea know you shut it off?"

Piper took her hands off the controls for a moment and turned to face us directly. "Actually, no. This model doesn't have an indicator showing whether the other end is on or off. Since theirs is presumably still on, we'll be able to hear Kea and can turn it back on to respond when needed, but for now, they won't be able to hear us. We should turn the mic back on periodically and cough or something, just so Kea doesn't get suspicious."

"I approve of your way of thinking," I said.

"Indeed, very cunning of you, Piper," said January.

"Don't give me too much credit yet. We'll see if Kea catches on." She gave us a mischievous grin. "You two should have a chance to get to know each other, what with being married and all." She turned back to the road.

"How nice!" I settled into my seat. "First of all, I suppose I will need to get used to the name 'June.'"

January sat back as well. "Yes, June. It's a lovely name, and I must say that it fits you."

I giggled. "My! Thank you. It just seemed to be the first thing that came to Kea's mind."

"Still, it's splendid. And with that settled, I think I'd better help you understand a little bit more about my situation."

"That's _so_ sensible. I would love to learn more about you."

"Very good! To begin with, I inherited the title of Duke from my mother, Duchess Vianne, as her oldest and only child. I gained it when she passed away two years ago." His face fell a little.

"I'm sorry to hear that, January. It must have been hard for you."

He slowly nodded. "Mm. But that is behind us now. In any case, the reason I was in Mierre yesterday was to meet with the mayor. Otherwise, I spend all my time at my family's home on the surface. And... I suppose that's about the whole of it. There isn't much else in my life worth noting. I should warn you that there will be a great deal of curiosity about you when we return, but I'll do what I can to prevent you from being overwhelmed with questions and attention."

"You are so thoughtful and caring."

He blushed slightly. "It's the least I can do. More impressive is the way you're handling all this. It must be difficult dealing with so many changes so rapidly."

"In some ways it is." I hoped my cluelessness over the last two days hadn't been _too_ obvious. "However, it is a major improvement on my previous life, and I'm certain I will be able to manage Normal society soon enough. After all, you will be there to help me."

"Of course. I'll be there for anything that you need."

"Thank you. I wish there was more I could do in return."

"Being with me is far more than enough."

"Oh, January, I feel the same."

Piper cleared her throat loudly. "That didn't seem like it was going to end anytime soon and it's been awhile, so I should switch the radio back on for a bit."

January and I nodded. Piper flipped the switch. We observed an awkward silence for a couple of minutes, purposely making shuffling or coughing noises. I even threw in a dissatisfied sigh for authenticity.

Piper switched the radio back off and January looked relieved. "Well then, what shall we discuss next?" he said.

"Whatever you two want," Piper said airily.

He hesitated. "I see. Do you wish to join our discussion?"

"Only if I've got something to say. Don't feel obligated to include me."

He shook his head. "I'm not sure I'm capable of ignoring someone in the room like that." I smiled at him. He was such a sweetheart.

Piper shrugged. "Alright then. What do you two have in mind?"

"I'd like to talk about Buf- June."

"And I would like to talk about you, January."

Piper looked as if she was getting a headache. "Why don't we talk about June? The Duke told us about himself earlier."

"Very well. Is there anything you would like to know?" January's eyes clouded over and he looked away from me. "What is it?"

"Well, you see, I have a question I've thought of asking, but I'm not certain of its propriety."

I waved a hand. "I have no standard by which to judge what is appropriate. Ask me anything. There is nothing I wish to keep from you."

He continued to look at me with the same heart-rending expression for a few moments before finally breaking the silence. "I wondered... did you ever wish to live in Normal society?"

"Oh." I had to think about that a little. "Truthfully, the idea never even crossed my mind until I Saw my own future. I was curious about Normals, certainly, but from the inside, the walls of the Sanctuary seem like the end of the world. The possibility of going outside them did not exist."

"So where you lived before was nice?" His expression became somewhat complicated. I wasn't sure what answer he was hoping for.

"It was... itself. I had very little to compare it to. I was not unhappy there, but I was not exactly happy, either. I simply _was_. A calm, quiet, solitary existence."

"I see."

While he was thinking this over, something struck me. Last night I had been asleep when January ate, and vice versa, but today we were both awake and in broad daylight, no less. We might be about to have our first meal together. What a wonderous occasion! "We are going to eat together, are we not?" I said eagerly.

Piper and January looked confused for a moment. It was Piper who finally realized what I meant. "Ah. So Abnormals eat by themselves. At least, when they're old enough to feed themselves."

"Yes, you are quite correct. Do you typically eat with others, January?"

"Yes, for almost every meal. I prefer it that way. Do Abnormals eat in their rooms, or...?"

"Yes, exactly. We eat in our rooms after we get our meal from the serving area."

"I see." He shook his head. "I must say, I have some sympathy for the chefs. Cooking in those robes must be quite a challenge."

"You are so considerate! However, there are alternate outfits available for tasks that require a higher degree of movement." I clapped my hands together eagerly. "Could you tell me more about meals in your house?"

"Of course, if that's what you'd like. Preparing meals is a shared responsibility; almost everyone has a turn taking part."

Piper seemed surprised. "You don't have a private chef?"

"No. Bringing someone to the surface just to do the cooking would be a bit superfluous."

"Haha, how silly of me not to realize _that's_ overdoing it," she teased.

"A chef would certainly be appreciated at times, I admit. Not everyone has the same amount of cooking prowess. Meals can get rather... interesting."

"That sounds fun!" I said. "Do you cook?"

"I don't have as much time to do it as I used to, but yes, I cook. I'm not terribly impressive, though I wouldn't say I'm bad either."

"Amazing! You must tell me about the times you prepared dinner."

"Certainly. I'd also like to know about the dishes prepared at the Sanctuary."

"As would I," Piper chimed in.

"Then I shall tell you!"

We went on this way for some time, with Piper occasionally interrupting us to turn the radio on; it made for a very pleasant journey. After awhile we began to really feel hungry. Searching through the various compartments in the carriage revealed a few boxes full of pre-packaged food and some fresh fruit. Kea refused an offer to join us, saying they would eat when we stopped for the evening, so we dug in, keeping the mic on so Kea wouldn't get suspicious.

After a few minutes, January chuckled. "It seems like we're all hesitating to eat the packaged food."

Kea's crackly voice sounded annoyed. "Why? There's nothing wrong with that food. You all shouldn't be so picky."

I examined the package again. I saw dried fruit, dried meat and a few varieties of nuts; they all looked very bland and unappetizing. We manged to get through the meal by trading amongst ourselves according to our own personal tastes, though we had to offer and receive in silence. Afterwards we resumed our chatting, turning the radio on or off as necessary. Eventually Kea called over the radio and said it was time to find a place to stop. We followed the gadabout to a quiet spot beside a river, closely sheltered by trees through which the waning light of evening filtered softly down. There we all got out.

January stretched his long limbs with a gratified sigh. "Splendid, this is really just splendid! We should set up a fire and have a proper campsite."

Piper shook her head. "It's really not cold enough to justify a fire. Besides, we don't want to be seen, and that would be a dead giveaway."

January frowned. I touched his shoulder consolingly. "Do not worry, we will have a campfire on our own another time, I'm sure."

Kea walked over to us, their brow scrunched up. "You all did a good job keeping quiet during the trip... better than I would have expected." Their tone was more suspicious than pleased.

I scoffed. "What did you expect? We are all dedicated taskforce members." Kea didn't look convinced.

January turned and looked off in the distance. "Mm, if we aren't setting up a fire, then I will head down to the river."

"Hold on," Kea said, "there's no reason to do that either. You should head back into the carriage and stay out of sight."

"After all that time? No, I would prefer not to."

I hurried to back him up. "I agree. Besides, no one can see us now."

Piper looked thoughtful. "I'm pretty sure no one followed us. There should be no danger in letting him stay outside for a bit."

Kea shook their head firmly. "Why let our guard down? Someone could start watching us any time." They narrowed their eyes at us. "Making decisions is my responsibility, listening to 'em is yours. I'm the only one here with any authority."

Piper shrugged. "Technically Kea is right about that. It would be less troublesome for all of us if we didn't openly defy Kea's orders."

Kea gave Piper a sidelong glance. "Openly? What're you trying to say?" She just straightened her skirt without looking at them.

"I see no harm in it." January turned and walked off. I smirked.

Kea let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll let you stretch your legs, but then it's back in the carriage."

January gave no sign he'd even heard Kea. I started to follow him, looking back over my shoulder. "That sounds more reasonable."

"...I'm going to eat now," is all Kea said in reply.

January and I ended up standing near the riverbank together, looking out over the water from the shade of a large, overhanging tree. Everything looked golden in the low rays of the sun. I'd never seen anything like it. I wished that I had some way to take a little of the sunlight back to the dark carriage with us.

Piper walked up to us. "Kea had a point. You may want to listen to him."

I looked at her doubtfully. "Like you did back in the carriage?"

"This is different," she said. "Kea's concerns about being seen are serious."

"Miss Piper, thanks to June we all know that nothing dreadful is going to happen to me. I don't need to be babied."

I nodded. "He's correct. And if he must spend an uncomfortable night sleeping in that carriage, surely he deserves some freedom now."

Our guide shook her head. "This isn't a vacation. You can't do everything you want."

I looked at her curiously. "Why did you volunteer to come on this trip? You are not affiliated with the police."

"Does it really matter? I'm here."

"June makes a good point. I too have wondered what you intend to gain by participating in this."

Piper waved her hand. "I have the kind of experience this expedition needs and had time to provide it. A person in my position is almost obligated to help. And it's not like I'm doing this for free; I'll be paid for my expertise."

"What do you mean by 'experience'?" I said.

Piper laughed lightly, though not quite as flippantly as usual. "Now this is a proper interrogation, huh? Generally people already know or don't care." We kept looking at her expectantly. "If you must know, I'm not from Mierre. I'm just vacationing here for awhile from my actual jobs. I still work part time, as you can see, if I decide it's worth my while."

January chuckled. "How ironic. Then this _is_ a vacation, for you, at least."

"True, true. That is funny," I said.

Piper gave a tight smile. "Indeed. Anyway, my usual work is as a cartographer and collector. Since I specialize in some expensive stuff, I often run into rivals looking to make a profit of their own. I've dealt with the likes of these bounty hunters many times, which is why my skills will be especially useful here."

I was truly impressed, but a little concerned. "That seems like it could be a rather... unpleasant lifestyle at times."

"It's not so bad. In all honesty, the main reason I'm doing this is because I know with certainty that the chances of success would've been much lower without me. Watching someone walk off unprepared into a chase with Trinette may as well be watching them walk off a cliff. She's ruthless. Now, if that's all..." She turned and waved at Kea, motioning for them to come over. Kea didn't look eager, but they put down their food and headed to where we were. "I think we're done stretching now."

"Good, then back into the carriage, Duke."

January looked upset again. "I really see no need. Even if something should happen, I'm certain I'd be able to handle it."

Kea refused to budge. "It doesn't really matter if you can. It's better if nothing happens. Now _go_ already."

With a heavy sigh and a defeated look, January conceded and made his way towards the carriage, dragging his feet the whole way. I followed close behind, very upset over how forlorn he was but, at the same time, grateful that we could have some time alone. As we climbed into the carriage, he reached over to turn off the mic before slumping down, lost in his own thoughts.

After a minute or so he sat up abruptly. He looked at me, then all around the carriage, glancing out each window before drawing the curtains tightly closed. At last he turned towards me fully, his back to the nearest window. He motioned to me to do the same. With a last careful look around, he laid a finger on his lips and held up his opera glasses in his other hand. As I watched curiously, he let go of the glasses. They didn't fall. They bobbed up and down in the air for a brief moment, glowing softly, then returned to his hand.

I gasped and immediately clapped a hand over my mouth. After a moment, I trusted myself to speak in a whisper. "You are Abnormal!"

He nodded. "Yes, that's so. I... would prefer if we kept this between ourselves."

"Yes. Naturally. Of course." I took a deep breath, but I only got more and more excited. "To think - you are a Riser!"

"Excuse me?"

"That is the title of your ability. I'm a Seer, you are a Riser."

He looked at me, a strange, eager light in his gray eyes. "Indeed? I was always curious about that."

"I cannot believe you are genuinely Abnormal! How did you manage that?"

"Well, our family has a private physician. When I was born my parents were told of my Abnormality before it was made official. My mother found a way to brush it under the rug and have me recorded as Normal. We moved to the surface shortly afterwards."

I stared at him in astonishment. "I did not realize that was possible."

"It isn't meant to be. I'm sure my mother had no easy time of it." January laughed shakily. "I've always had to be... careful."

"I understand." I took another deep breath and felt a little calmer at last. "Still, to think that I would find a fellow Abnormal out here - this is wonderful news! And a Riser, no less! Normally, a Riser like you and a Seer like myself would never have met, even in Abnormal society."

"Truly? I thought all kinds of Abnormals lived together."

"No. If you are born with Vespen heritage you will be a Seer, Reader or Normal. The odds of a Riser being born here are very low. You likely would have been sent away from the Walled Sanctuary to live amongst your own kind. In general, Abnormals only mix regional types if the ability is especially useful - healing, for instance."

"I see." His eyes widened. "Ah, I see! June, my father was from Ellon!"

"Then he is where your ability came from. Ellon is the region with Risers."

"How extraordinary. It... is nice to know I received something from him." He appeared to take that bit of information far more seriously than I had expected. At last he snapped out of his trance. "Abnormalness is rather interesting."

"Not _that_ interesting." We both laughed. "But it does illustrate how truly we are meant for each other!"

"Yes. I think you're right. I didn't imagine I would find someone outside my family who could accept me." He smiled and reached over to take both my hands. "Thank you for looking into the future and finding me."

"January... I was happy to do it."

His grip on my hands tightened. "Before you, I could never be fully truthful with anyone. One mistake would have branded me a criminal and ruined my family. You can imagine what Kea's reaction would be."

I winced. That was to be avoided at all costs. "I'm sorry."

He released my hands. "No, I'm sorry for dwelling on it. The past is irrelevant now." He smiled brightly. "Now my only desire is to return home. To my actual home, that is. How astonished everyone will be when they find out about you!"

"You mean your family?"

"Ah, no, not... precisely. There is a group of dedicated employees which has been with us for generations. All of them know the truth about me, yet remain devoted. They're the ones I share my home with."

"They sound splendid."

"They certainly are." He paused. "I also have some relatives who live up here on the fraction. They may be... less welcoming."

"Oh? Why?"

He fidgeted a little. "Well, you see, in order to keep my family together, I absolutely need to have a child, and my relatives have spent a great deal of time trying to select the... other parent. When I show up married to someone else, a few may turn against us. I'm sure they will be reconciled once an heir is actually produced."

"We shall do our best. I'm quite willing to adopt, if need be."

"You wouldn't mind that?"

"Why would I? Everyone where I come from is adopted. Having a child around with no biological relation to me would be nothing new."

He sighed happily. "It's incredible how perfect you are."

"Oh, it is nothing really." I wished that he could see the smiles he put on my face. I didn't wish it quite enough to take off the veil, though. Not yet. I wondered when I'd finally work up the courage.

"Well, with that settled, I can hardly wait for you to meet everyone," January continued cheerfully.

"Mm. It will be a wonderful day. Yet, until then, I have no complaints about the time we have to be together, just us."

"I feel the same."

Darkness had fallen quickly over the forest. We peeked together out one window to see only a few strands of pale moonlight falling through the leaves, casting silvery lines across the ground. "Night has come," said January. He gently tilted his head in my direction. "Are you hungry? Perhaps it is time for dinner."

"Now that you mention it, yes."

We each gathered up a package and some fruit. "Suppose we eat outside instead?" January said. "It is dark enough that there is no real possibility we will be observed."

"I say it's worth trying. If they force us back into the carriage, we can eat extra fruit since they won't be around to stop us."

"Splendid! It's a victory either way." With that decided, we left the carriage together, January opening the door for me. We walked out slowly into the evening stillness, with the sound of night creatures singing and the gentle flowing of the river as our accompaniment. It didn't take long for Piper to spot us and head our way.

"Is something wrong?"

January shook his head. "We decided to enjoy our evening meal outdoors. It's really too dark for anyone to see us now."

"We are not going far," I said.

She thought about it and nodded. "For dinner, at least, you can stay outside. Afterwards, it's back in the carriage to get some sleep. We have to start early tomorrow. And since you're eating, I guess I might as well get something for myself."

Piper headed toward the carriage. Kea, who had been watching us from near the gadabout, got up and headed in the same direction. "Why don't we suggest that we all eat our meals together? It would be the polite thing to do," January said.

"Would it? Then I suppose we should." Not that I had any particular desire to eat with the others, but there was no reason to be rude. Hopefully they'd refuse.

"We will ask, then." Once the others emerged with their meals and began walking their separate ways, January called them over. They both looked confused, but came as bidden.

"What is it?" Kea said. "If it's about eating outside, don't bother. If I had a problem I'd have said something already."

I waved a hand. "That's not it. We were wondering if you two would like to join us."

Piper smiled. "How thoughtful of you to offer. Why not?" I frowned beneath my veil.

"How about you, Officer Kea?" January said.

They shook their head. "I don't think you really want to."

Piper nudged them with her elbow. "Just sit with us."

Kea sighed and turned to walk away. Good.

Piper stopped them by grabbing their sleeve. Not good.

"It would be safer to stick together too, wouldn't you agree?" she said.

" _Fine_. Since you're all so persistent, I'll stay." They sat down right where they were standing. I frowned even harder at them, but it was useless.

The rest of us found spots on rocks or grass and began eating in silence. Eventually Piper, January and I began trading food, as we'd done at lunch, but Kea stolidly stuck to their packet, as if to prove there was nothing wrong with the rations. It was a quiet meal, though in the end, not an unpleasant one. The air was comfortably cool and little stars could be seen peeking down at us. Piper eventually broke the silence to give us a rough idea of the country we'd be traveling through tomorrow. The ruins sounded interesting; I thought it was a pity that we'd be confined to the carriage and couldn't explore them.

At last Kea rose, apparently glad the meal was finally over. "Alright, back to the carriage."

Piper got up as well, deftly brushing the dirt and leaves from her skirt. "Kea's right, we should all get some sleep." She waved us goodbye and wandered off into the darkness.

Kea nodded to acknowledge her gesture, then turned to us. "Good night." They didn't leave, though; they stood and watched us to make sure we complied.

With a sigh, January turned back toward the carriage. I followed at his side. He leaned toward me and whispered, "Rather like being treated as a child, isn't it?"

"Mhm. Just for a little longer."

We entered the carriage together. He gave the space a quick inspection, then turned to me. "I think I shall sleep on the floor, June. Would you mind using the seats?"

"I would rather you slept on them. Is the floor not uncomfortable?"

"I appreciate the sentiment, but there's a little more room on the floor if I lie diagonally. Besides, it's only for two nights." He smiled brightly at me and took his place below.

I settled onto the cushioned bench, turning myself so I could gaze down at him. "How tired are you, January?"

"Hm? Why do you ask?"

"If you are tired, then please rest, but if not, we could talk for a bit."

"I would much prefer talking with you," he said, his fine, tapered eyes shining bright in the darkness. I was so pleased at the sight and at his response that any idea of what to say flew out of my mind. I scrambled to think of a topic.

"I would like to know more about you and," I lowered my voice, "your ability."

"I was thinking of asking you the same thing!" I laughed at that and he joined me. "But of course I'll be happy to tell you anything you wish to know. Is there anything specific?"

"I find everything about you fascinating. It would be difficult to decide."

While I tried to think, January settled into a more comfortable position and continued the conversation, still gazing up at me. "I see. Well, something that might be worth mentioning is that I'm twenty-six years old."

"Oh! That's good to know."

"How old are you, June?"

"Truthfully, I do not know. At the Sanctuary we are only given a vague idea of our actual age. A rough guess would put me somewhere between twenty-five and thirty."

"I see. What is the purpose of concealing your birthdate?"

I paused. "It's not so much concealment as a lack of any such records," I said at last. "Our age is simply unimportant. Now let me ask _you_ something. Your... talent. Is it always under your control, or does it sometimes happen automatically?"

"Both, unfortunately. If I'm not constantly vigilant, it will simply happen any time it could be useful, without necessity of conscious action on my part."

"I'm sorry it troubles you so much."

"Thank you for your concern. I'm far less worried about it now, thanks to you. I'm curious, though - from something you said earlier, I gather this is somewhat typical?"

"Yes, though it only applies to very minor feats. Significant use of any talent takes a great deal of concentration and can be rather exhausting."

"I see." He sighed. "I can scarcely go a few days before my talent tries to manifest itself in some way. I'm constantly on edge when not at home."

I reached down to put my hand on one of his. "All the more reason it's a shame you have to keep it secret. A talent like that is part of you and should not have to be suppressed."

"Do you never find a need to suppress your talent?"

"Ah. You are quite perceptive." It was my turn to sigh a little. "My talent is different. Seeing the future is considered to be dangerous and addictive, so even in Abnormal society it's forbidden in all but officially sanctioned cases."

"Oh, my, that's awful." He wrapped his fingers around mine comfortingly.

"I understand the reasoning. People with dark futures often panic and act desperately in order to try and avoid their fate. Those with bright futures have problems of their own, becoming lazy or cruel. It took me many seasons to earn the privilege of using my talent on myself."

"Well, I'm very pleased you did get to use it, and that you used it for me as well."

"Yes. It's thanks to this power that we have now come together. Our future is certainly worth the difficulties of my past."

"Agreed."

Sleep was creeping up on both of us by this time. It wasn't much longer before we said goodnight and drifted off into our separate dreams, though I still kept hold of his hand.


	6. Horsing Around

"...ey."

A faint noise prodded me awake. I turned over and tried to settle back down into comfortable oblivion.

"Hey." There it was again. "Are you awake? If not, I'm gonna keep talking 'til you are."

I opened my eyes reluctantly and sat up. Sunlight was filtering through the curtains. January sat up as well, blinking, his monocle still placed off to one side, and we stared at each other in confusion.

"Hello? If you two are awake in there, tell me." I finally realized that the unpleasant voice was Kea's and it was coming from the radio. January easily reached a long arm into the control area and picked up the mic.

"Yes, we're awake."

"Good. You can have breakfast if you want, but you have to stay inside the carriage."

I groaned and laid back down on the seats. "Why did you wake us if all you were going to do was tell us to stay here?"

"I let you two sleep long enough. Too much sleep is just as bad as too little, don't complain."

January yawned. "We're awake now. If you have nothing more to add, I'm going to turn the volume of your side off. We don't need lecturing."

"No! Leave the sound on. I might need to talk to you later."

"Fine." He set the mic down and turned it off, then moved slowly back to his place on the floor and looked up at me with drowsy eyes. "Feel free to get more sleep, Buff- June. I can't imagine you slept well in such a position."

"It was comfortable enough, but thank you for thinking of me - you are very sweet." I pillowed my head on my arms. "I was surprised by how you talked to Kea. You are usually very polite."

He gave a short laugh. "I suppose that's what happens when I'm disturbed from sleep. I scarcely remember what I said."

"I see. That is good to know."

"Are you disappointed?"

"No, of course not!"

"That's a relief. I'd hate to have given you a bad impression of me." He smiled slowly and sleepily. "I'm glad you're here with me. This journey would have been quite unbearable otherwise."

I lifted my head in order to nod firmly. "You can count on my being with you from now on."

"I wouldn't want it any other way," he said. A sudden knock on the carriage door made us start. January sat up. "Um, come in?"

The door opened and there was Piper, smiling slyly. "So how are our two lovebirds doing this morning?"

"Better than most could dream of!" I said.

January reddened bashfully. "Yes, quite well."

"Lovely. I've come for some breakfast. Mind handing over enough for Kea and I?" We did so, digging out some food for ourselves at the same time. She closed the door with a jaunty wave and I saw her walk over to Kea near the gadabout. January and I sat down to enjoy our meal, chatting and glancing out the windows occasionally. After a few minutes I noticed Kea looking upset and glaring at the carriage, but then both they and Piper turned to look intently at the gadabout. We decided to dare Kea's wrath and go find out what was happening. As we approached, savoring the morning sunlight and a fresh, gentle breeze, we heard static.

"Is something wrong with the radio?" I asked.

Kea ignored me. Piper didn't take her eyes off the gadabout, but she did give me an answer. "Our radio has picked up someone else's signal."

"And it works both ways," Kea muttered. "We can't use the radios now without them hearing us."

January looked worried. "Oh my. What should we do?"

Kea straightened up and turned the radio off entirely. "Nothing. We don't have time for this. It's probably no one worth talkin' to anyway."

Piper nodded. "Kea's right. You two head back to the carriage and I'll join you in a few minutes."

We sighed and obeyed, but after about twenty minutes in the carriage, nothing had happened. "What do you suppose they're doing?" January said, stretching and glancing outside. He gasped as he did so, freezing in place. I looked over his shoulder - no easy feat - to see a third person, a stranger, standing near Piper and Kea.

"Is that a bounty hunter?"

He shook his head. "I don't believe so. Those who were pursuing me back in Mierre all wore uniforms."

"Then it may be the owner of the radio we connected to."

"That seems likely. Perhaps it's someone who lives outside the city limits due to a desire for privacy." As he said this, we saw Kea punch the stranger in the face, knocking them down. January flinched back from the window. "Or perhaps not."

"They must be some kind of criminal!"

"Agreed." We peeked out again and saw more people emerging from the trees. January's face grew serious. "Kea and Piper are in danger. Their futures are not as secure as ours. I'm going to help them."

"That's true, and so brave of you. Come on, we will go together." We rushed out the carriage doors and everyone turned toward us immediately. Kea and Piper didn't look pleased to see us.

"Get back inside, you dimwits!" Kea yelled. "It's not safe!"

January frowned. "You're outnumbered," he called back. "We came to help."

"We'll be fine, just go!" Piper retorted.

Kea dodged a punch and kicked their attacker in the stomach. "I'm not arguin'! Get back inside!"

January and I kept moving forward. Kea rolled their eyes and dashed toward us, along with Piper, yelling "Everyone inside!" The strangers charged after them. Hastily we all piled into the carriage and slammed the doors, engaging their heavy locks. Our pursuers surrounded the vehicle and began pounding.

January was scowling. "Is this really an improvement?"

Piper shrugged, a little out of breath. "For now. There's little chance they'll be able to break into the carriage."

"Mm." Kea settled back and crossed their arms. "All we have to do is wait until those thieves get tired and give up."

Piper didn't seem content to wait. She stood up and clambered into the control room.

"Are you going to try running them over?" I asked, half-horrified, half-hopeful.

She laughed humorlessly. "Who knows? For now, I'm going to try the radio." She moved one of the curtains aside so the bandits could see in, then picked up the mic and had a silent conversation with an imaginary recipient. When she put the mic back down she gave the bandits a smug smile. "Hopefully they'll think I called for backup and get scared," she said.

They didn't get scared, exactly. Instead the carriage lurched as they all pushed against it at once.

Kea's eyes went wide. "They're tipping us! Start the engine!"

Piper started working the controls and the carriage roared to life, but the whole thing tipped over before the wheels could actually start turning. Everyone tumbled sideways. I found myself trapped beneath someone, crushed into the wall of the carriage.

"Is everyone alright?" I heard Kea say.

"I'm fine," said Piper.

The person crushing me shifted around and I saw that it was January. "I'm sorry!" he said, doing his best to give me some room. "Are you hurt?"

"No, no," I said hurriedly, though I did find myself a bit breathless.

"At least the carriage still seems intact," said Piper, "which means those bandits will probably leave soon. We just have to sit tight until then."

"Very tight indeed," I said in a small voice. Having someone so very, _very_ close, especially when that someone was January, was causing all sorts of new sensations in me; I felt torn between wanting to stay close and wanting to scramble away. I was never more glad to be wearing my veil, and January, in turn, was steadfastly looking in every direction but mine.

Finally things became quiet outside the carriage. After waiting several more minutes, Piper pushed her way through the control area door and reported that the coast was clear, so we all climbed out gratefully. Kea stepped up to the overturned vehicle and began smacking their forehead against its side, sighing heavily.

"How is everyone?" January said, glancing at me.

"Uninjured. How are you?"

"Well enough."

"Good." I was beginning to feel much more like myself. "I'm so glad you were unharmed."

"Yes, well, I had..." He went red and cleared his throat. "That is, I'm glad you were unharmed as well. It must have been dreadful being cramped in that position."

I lost a bit of my newly recovered self-possession and scrambled for a reply. "It's all water under the bridge now," I said at last, doing my best to sound casual.

Piper finished dusting herself off. "I'm also in one piece," she said. Kea remained silent, their head still against the carriage.

"Now what are we going to do?" I said.

Kea grumbled and sighed and straightened up. "We need to get the carriage turned back over and see if it still works. I should be able to right it with the gadabout."

There were a few coils of rope stashed away in one of the carriage's compartments; January volunteered to climb back in and get them while Kea went to see if our other vehicle had suffered any damage. As Piper and I were waiting, I looked at the carriage and sighed contentedly. "Is he not wonderful?"

"January?" She gave me an amused look. "Tell me, what about him is so wonderful?"

"You need to ask? Everything about him is wonderful!"

She arched an eyebrow. "Everything, huh?"

"Yes! He's completely perfect. In fact, if I had been asked to imagine my perfect spouse, I would have described someone less perfect than January simply because I would have assumed that someone as ideal as he is could not exist."

She groaned softly. "How long have you known him, again?"

"Almost two days now!" She looked at me strangely. Since she appeared to be somehow immune to January's many charms, I decided to try a different topic. "Why were you so set against January and I helping with the bandits? We were guaranteed to survive, after all."

She shook her head firmly. "It's not helpful for two people untrained in combat to jump into a fight. What if your safety came at the cost of Kea or I getting hurt protecting you?"

I thought that over. "Then we should only intervene if we are sure we can protect someone else," I said at last.

"You really want to play bodyguard?"

"Why not? Why let someone else get hurt if I could stop it?"

She seemed skeptical. "Even if it's someone other than January? I thought he was the only person you cared about."

I shrugged. "I have never cared about anyone, other than January, of course. It was not allowed. But that does not mean I would not help."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." She gave me an enigmatic smile.

The gadabout walked up to us with a low rumble and Kea hopped out. January soon came climbing out of the overturned carriage, rope in hand, but Kea immediately clambered into the carriage themselves in order to retrieve some tools. As the rest of us stood waiting, we heard familiar static coming from nearby.

"Kea must have accidentally switched the radio on again." Piper walked over to the gadabout and was about to turn the speaker off when muffled voices came through. She stopped and we all began listening intently. Most of what we could hear was static, but there were occasional snatches of conversation. One voice seemed familiar. I was trying to place it when Piper stiffened and her eyes grew wide. She leaned closer, trying to catch more of the words, but soon afterwards the other radio was turned off and the static vanished.

Piper turned off our radio and let out a deep breath. "Trinette. This could be bad. I wonder who she was talking to?"

Kea popped their head out of the carriage. "If I heard that right, we'd better get moving. And no one touches the radios from now on." They went about attaching the ropes with astonishing dexterity and speed. The rest of us looked honestly impressed and, for a brief moment, Kea seemed pleased at our admiration, but they quickly got serious again. "Move out of the way, I'm gonna pull the carriage up." They climbed into the gadabout and it growled to life; as it began walking backwards, the ropes went taut and the carriage began to lift.

I stepped aside and tugged on January's sleeve. When he looked at me quizzically, I motioned him closer. "Could you have lifted the carriage with your power?" I whispered.

He gave me an empty smile. "Yes. It would've been no effort at all. But I doubt Officer Kea would have approved."

The carriage clunked back into position and the gadabout gave an angry hiss at the release of the strain. Kea removed the ropes as quickly and efficiently as they'd been attached. "Alright, now we need to inspect for damage. I'll check the engine. Piper, you look around the control room. You two, check the exterior."

We all scanned our assigned sections. I walked along one side of the carriage, noting that little harm had been done, but then I reached the back end. "Ah, I think you all should look at this."

They gathered around and Kea's eyes widened in dismay. "The water tank! It's totally cracked." They began banging their head against the carriage again and, possibly, whimpering softly. "Without it, the carriage can't move on its own power. We're stuck."

"Surely there must be some way to fix it," January said.

Piper shook her head. "Nope. We could've used the wound sealer from the first aid kit, but the gash is too wide and bent for that. And look, it goes to the very bottom. The tank won't hold an ounce of water as is." She rapped the tank with her knuckles and it made a dismally hollow sound. "Although, even if it can't move on its own, there may still be a way to get it to go. This model can also be pulled by an animal." She gestured toward the trees around us. "It's not uncommon for unwanted horses, among other things, to be abandoned out here, and they normally gather in herds near the ruins. If we could find a horse that's still friendly towards people we could harness it to the carriage."

January was unconvinced. "That seems like something of a long shot. Would it truly be more effective than simply walking the rest of the way?"

"Much more effective. Under the best circumstances, we'd be looking at two days by foot, and that's if everyone was able to keep a consistent pace. Plus we'd have to carry two days' worth of supplies, which would slow us down even further, and, to top it all off, if we had another run-in like we did today, we'd have nowhere to hide."

Kea finally stopped praying to the carriage gods and spoke up. "We'll look for a horse. We're too far to walk and the gadabout won't be able to pull the carriage far. Tilting it back was already a strain." They straightened up and began retying the ropes. "I'm gonna move the carriage a little way, at least. Those bandits might come back. You three follow behind, but not too close." The gadabout was tested to its limits that day, but we eventually found a thickly wooded area with much more cover. Kea hopped out, looking satisfied. "There, it's taken care of."

Piper nodded. "Good enough. Now we should really start looking for a horse." She glanced at January and I. "You two should probably stay here in the carriage."

January reacted as if he'd been slapped in the face. "Impossible! I refuse to be excluded once again."

"Much as I would love to be alone here with January, I agree. We can help."

For once, it was Kea who backed us up. "Maybe we should just let them come. Even if the carriage is secure, it's probably better to have them nearby where we can help in case of trouble."

January frowned at this logic, but kept quiet. As we started off he gave a rueful look at the backs of the two ahead of us. I patted his arm gently. "It does not matter what they think, January."

He turned to me and immediately perked up. "You're right. Tell me, June, would you like to hold hands as we walk?"

I shoved aside any lingering reservations. It wasn't like we'd actually be touching each other, after all; we were both wearing gloves. "Of course!" I said. "I would love to!" January took my hand and we walked along as pleased as could be.

It was a very pleasant journey, first through the eaves of the forest, then over a wide field littered with huge stone structures, many of them leaning out at crazy angles to the ground. "Look there," said Kea. "Huh, actual horses." There was a large group of them milling about on the far side of the grassy area.

Piper grinned at Kea. "That sounds like you didn't completely believe we'd actually find a horse out here."

"Mm."

"If you doubted it, why did you agree?"

"We needed it to be true."

As they talked, January and I stood off to one side, still hand in hand, gazing at the cloud shadows which chased each other across the field in the afternoon sun. It felt like a dream. "Have you ever ridden a horse, January?"

"Actually, no. Have you?"

"Never. I have barely ever seen a real one."

"Just one more thing we have in common, it seems."

"True, true," I said, laughing.

Kea turned back toward us. "Hey, you two, pay attention! We need to decide how to catch one of those horses."

"Why don't we take a short break first?" Piper said.

"What? Why? I want to get this done before sundown."

"I know, but we've been walking for some time now and it's not going to be easy to pin down a horse. While we rest, the horses will also get used to our presence, which might make them easier to approach."

Kea frowned but gave in. "Alright, we can rest. Just don't forget that we also need to hurry."

"Of course." Piper smiled and walked away, stretching leisurely.

"Don't go far!" Kea called out. They walked away in the opposite direction, then spun and walked back. "Do either of you need something to eat?" January and I looked at each other in surprise. Kea grumbled something before pulling two food packets and some water bottles out of their heavy jacket and tossing them to us. "Just give 'em back later if you don't want 'em." They turned and wandered out of sight behind some stones. We found a cool spot in the shade of one of the old towers and ate in pleasant silence, watching the horses as they grazed.

"Hmm," I said absently, "it's too bad this food is so dark and crumbly. It might ruin your gloves."

"Ah, yes, that would be unfortunate."

"There are no Normals around, so you could simply -" Something in his face stopped me. "Do you dislike using your power?"

"It's not that. When I'm at home I feel no compunctions about using it. Out here, everything is different." He sighed. "I know it must seem strange, but even in this isolated place I can't help fearing that, somehow, an observer will suddenly appear and start shouting 'Abnormal!' at me." He turned his head away slightly. I reached out to touch his shoulder.

"I understand. I will not ask you again."

"Thank you."

I decided to change the topic, hoping he'd cheer up. "What was your meeting with the mayor about?" He did turn back toward me, but there was renewed dismay on his face. I panicked. "I'm sorry! Never mind! Forget I brought it up!"

He waved a hand. "No, there's no need to apologize. Let me explain. Once I became Duke, many people began clamoring to meet with me and invited me to their establishments. I couldn't ignore those invitations, lest it reflect poorly upon me and my family, but my... situation made such visits perilous. I decided on a compromise: visit the mayor of the capital, invite those who live nearby to a reception at my hotel, and then return home after only a few days." He shook his head. "That did not turn out as well as I'd hoped."

I laughed. "Indeed, this is quite a situation we are in, _almost_ as dangerous as facing down the outrage of your peers over being snubbed."

He laughed as well. "Very true, though our meeting made everything else that has happened worthwhile."

My heart fluttered and I toyed with the edge of my veil briefly. "I was thinking the same thing." Then I got a wonderful idea; I sat up eagerly and touched his arm again. "Perhaps I can go to some of those meetings in your place from now on!"

He gave me a serious look. "Nonsense. I'd never want to put you in danger. Who knows what else could happen?"

"I would be fine, and more importantly, it would put your mind at ease."

He smiled broadly. "There won't be a need for that. I'll simply tell them that I have to stay home with my wonderful wife."

The conversation wandered in another direction and we spent some time chatting about his - our - family. He knew little of his father's relations, but on his mother's side he talked enthusiastically about Grandmother Ofelia and Granduncle Claude, her brother. Just as I felt like I was beginning to know them, the break was over and it was time to get to work.

Kea set themselves to coordinating and directing our efforts. First we had to find a horse that wouldn't simply run from us when we approached; this proved to be harder than it sounded and the four of us spent a good hour approaching various animals, only for them to turn disdainfully and gallop off across the field. January was the first to have better luck. We heard him calling us and hurried over to find him standing near a gigantic, brown and white stallion who was placidly cropping the grass a little apart from his fellows. The horse was even taller than January, and I'd never seen any creature taller than my husband before.

Piper whistled. "He's got to be at least nineteen hands."

"Yeah, maybe too big," Kea said. "How large was the harness again?"

"Large enough. The bigger the better, as far as we're concerned." She walked up near enough to touch the animal, but it didn't move. Kea reached into one of their many pockets and tossed her an apple, which she offered to our potential new friend, and the horse quickly shifted its attention from the grass to the treat. "He's a little older," Piper said, "but he still seems strong. A good workhorse. Now all we need to do is get him accustomed to a rider."

Again, this was easier said than done. Despite Piper's bribery, the horse charged off as soon as she - very cautiously - tried to get on its back. We regrouped and decided to try a little more strategy. Kea had another apple in their pocket; while January and I gently herded the horse back to an isolated part of the field, Kea distracted it with apple slices. Piper sidled up once we were in a good position and started patting its side. Kea was down to their last apple slice when Piper took a deep breath and hoisted herself onto the horse's back.

It bolted again. Piper held tight and slowly, skillfully, pulled herself up into a riding position. We all cheered and applauded, though she was probably too far away to hear us, and over the next half hour or so she guided the horse around the ruins using its mane, waiting for it to adjust and calm down. Eventually she rode up to us and dismounted.

"Are you sure that thing will let you back on?" Kea said.

"Louis doesn't seem to mind being ridden. I was just a stranger; that made him a little nervous."

"Louis?"

She nodded and stroked Louis' nose. "I figured I ought to call him something, and that's what I thought of."

"I think it's a fine name," January said, and we all moved in to pet the newest member of our group.

"We should get him back to camp. It'll be dark soon," Kea said. Piper took a bit of Louis' mane in her hand and tugged gently. The horse followed her willingly enough and the rest of us trailed alongside, chatting aimlessly, until we finally arrived back at the vehicles. It was very dark beneath the trees by this time, only small bits of moonlight managing to make their way down to us. Kea gave a small sigh of relief. "Looks like no one found the camp. That's good, it's definitely too dark to travel any more today. I'm gonna check if Louis will fit the harness and get it set up for tomorrow." They took the horse and led him away.

Piper turned to us. "Would you two mind helping me with something? The carriage is a real mess after being knocked over. I was thinking we could try and clean it out." We agreed immediately and set about removing the contents of the carriage, trying to restore some semblance of order. Kea returned to report that Louis fit the harness perfectly and then joined our clean-up efforts. We had to pick remnants of burst food packets out of the carpet and seats, but in the end, everything was cleaned and sorted. Louis was more than willing to gobble up the food scraps as we tossed them aside.

Kea had mostly remained silent since rejoining the group, but now they spoke up. "Based on what I saw of the supplies, it looks like we have enough food for at least two more days, but even with Louis it's gonna take a day and a half to get to the other side of the fraction. We'll be cutting it close." They sighed. "And I've got something else to tell you all. The strain on the gadabout was too much. I'd need almost half a day to get it functioning properly again. We'll... have to leave it behind." They looked genuinely crushed by this loss.

"That figures," Piper said. "I think we all deserve a break. Who wants dinner?"

"How ironic," January said. "We went through all the trouble of packing it only to take it out again." That got a laugh from Piper and I. We pulled out packages for all and what was left of the fruit, then sat in a circle on the ground to eat. Kea lost interest in their pear after a few minutes. They sat back on their elbows and looked up at the sky through the treetops.

"This was a long day..."

January nodded. "I would have much preferred a quiet day like the first one."

"We almost need that," Piper said, picking through the remnants of her meal. "I'm not sure how we'd manage with many more serious setbacks."

I looked at my dried dinner wearily. "I hope I will be able to eat a proper Normal meal soon. I dearly want to know what one is like."

"How do you know Normal and Abnormal food are different?" Kea said.

"We discussed them yesterday. There's very little that's the same, as far as I have heard."

"I think it would be something if they were in fact the same," January said wistfully. "It seems pleasant to me to think there is a similarity between the two places."

Kea shrugged. "Maybe. Who knows?"

"None of us," I said, "unfortunately. At least not yet."

"Well, perhaps we will find a cookbook along our journey and you can peruse that," January said.

Kea scoffed. "I wouldn't count on it."

"Thank you, January, you are so optimistic and such a problem-solver," I said, ignoring Kea completely.

They rolled their eyes. "I don't know how Piper stood a whole day with you two," they said, but I think they were smiling under their scarf.

Louis wandered over and Kea offered him the rest of their pear, which he took eagerly. Kea patted the horse's head as he ate. "Well, since everything's taken care of and the food is done, let's go to bed. We'll use the same arrangements as yesterday, alright?" No one complained. "Good. Then good night." They stood and briskly walked away into the darkness.

Piper rose as well. "Sweet dreams," she said before following Kea.

January and I were left alone in the deepening night. I looked over at him. "Well, are you ready to go to the carriage?"

"I believe so." We stood together and retreated into the vehicle. Once safely inside, I yawned and stretched out as best I could while January settled into his old position on the floor.

"Good night, my darling January," I said, turning to look down at him.

"Good night, my dear June," he replied, and we were both soon fast asleep.


	7. So Close and Yet So Far

"... ey. Hey, are you awake?"

 _This again?_ I thought groggily.

"Wake up already!"

I was wondering whether I should try and reach for the radio when January opened his eyes and flicked it off himself without bothering to reply. He gave a satisfied smile and I laughed before lying back down, turning my face toward him. "Are you going back to sleep?"

"That depends. Are you?"

I stretched out my arms lazily. "I don't intend to, but I don't want to get up yet either."

January picked up his monocle and put it back in place. "Then I shall stay up as well."

"Alright. I'm glad you're awake." I yawned and sat up to make room for him on the seats. He looked confused for a moment, but I beckoned to him to come up. "I know you're cramped down there."

He rose and sat on the seat next to me, extending his long legs with a sheepish smile. "Good morning." He looked like he had something else to say, but instead he moved a little closer and slowly, gently tilted his head down so that it rested just on top of mine, then gave a sigh of contentment. My heart beat a little faster and I allowed myself to gradually relax against him. "I hope Kea doesn't realize that the radio has been turned off for some time," he murmured.

"Agreed." I slipped my hand around one of his and settled back to enjoy his warmth in the coolness of the morning. We observed a comfortable silence for some time, half-dozing.

"What was your room in the Sanctuary like?" he said drowsily.

"Mm?"

"I was thinking how wonderful it will be to sleep in an actual bed once we reach my home, but then I wondered if the accommodations would be comfortable for you."

"Any room we share will be fine, don't worry."

He sighed happily again. "I'm glad. I don't live in the best room, after all - that was my mother's. I've left it unused."

"I understand. I wouldn't want to intrude on something like that."

I felt him smile against my hood. "I knew you would respect my choice. I sometimes feel that I'm doing wrong; I'm master of the house now and can't preserve a room like that out of mere sentiment, so I tell myself that there are many important books and papers within which it's too much trouble to move."

"Perhaps it will be easier when more time has passed."

"Perhaps. Did you have any such practices in the Sanctuary?"

"No. Abnormals who died were cremated, along with the few things they owned, and their ashes scattered to the wind from atop the walls. In most cases, that was the first time someone went beyond those walls since they entered them as infants."

"Oh..." He sounded somber.

"If I may ask, what was your mother like?"

There was silence for awhile and his grip on my hand tightened. "She was... always stressed. It seemed she was forever massaging her temples. She was short and snippy with most people, but she was aware of this fault and tried to relieve tension by being intentionally overdramatic. She employed the same tactic whenever someone worried over her or asked her to take it easy."

"Someone like you?"

"Yes. Very frequently."

There was sorrow in his voice and I shifted to put a comforting arm around him. He responded by putting both arms around me, his head still resting on mine, and sighing again. "It was hard on you," I said. "I'm sorry."

"Yes, her behavior wore me down at times, but I respected her nonetheless. She had a great deal of responsibility. She was the head of a powerful family, and I was an Abnormal, after all..." I ran my hand across his back slowly. If there was one word for all the different things I felt at that moment, I didn't know it. His voice sounded distant when he continued. "Sometimes she took breaks to read aloud or have someone else read to her. She never liked reading silently; she wanted voices, different voices for all the characters if possible. She always said that a good book is better when enjoyed with others." He stopped and rubbed his cheek softly against my head.

"That sounds as if it would be fun. Perhaps we could try that sometime?"

"Yes, I think I'd like that. Thank you, June."

"Thank you for telling me, January."

We sat in silence again. I was beginning to fall asleep in the pleasant warmth of his arms when the carriage door was suddenly flung open to reveal Kea standing outside, looking irritated. "It's time to get up already!" They looked even less pleased to see us actually awake. "Why didn't you answer the radio? I've been calling you repeatedly."

"I didn't hear it. Perhaps it was turned off accidentally," January said. I burst out laughing, trying ineffectually to stifle the sound in his shoulder.

Kea groaned and put their face in their hands. "Why would you do that? This is serious. Never mind," he added hastily. "Turn it on and leave it on."

"As you wish," said January.

"We're going to be leaving very soon. Just... stay here and be ready."

January let me go and sighed as Kea shut the door. "They still look at us as liabilities."

"I know. It's especially unfair to you, January. And there's so much more you could do if... there were no limitations."

He settled back against the seat, stretching his long legs out carefully. "Thank you. I suppose we'll have to keep trying to change their minds." He thought for a moment. "It's a pity we'll have no time alone for the rest of the day. Kea will undoubtedly be riding with us."

"That's true. I suppose it can't be helped." I leaned forward and drew aside the curtains. Piper was already hitching up Louis, and in less than a minute, Kea re-entered and took a seat at the far end of the passenger area, looking distinctly uneasy. "What's the matter?" I said.

"... I don't like being in here. This is where you and January spend most of your time."

"So?"

"I feel like I'm encroaching on some kind of love nest. I don't like it." They scrunched their face up. "Speaking of which, the two of you better not have done anything in here. It's still police property, you know."

January began coughing violently. I crossed my arms. "Don't be absurd. We know where our priorities lie."

"Just checking."

I chuckled quietly. January finally managed to recover himself just as Piper stepped into the control area. "Morning. Everyone ready? Then off we go." She faced forward and picked up some reins which had been fed through the newly opened front windshield. Louis started to pull at the harness and off the carriage went, not as quickly as before, but still more quickly than walking. An awkward silence fell over us.

"Kea, could we talk about something? Anything?" I said.

"If you want. Just don't be loud."

January turned to me. "What would you like to talk about?"

"I'm not sure. What would you like to talk about?"

Kea groaned. "Why did I even give you permission?"

"Maybe you should try and think of a conversation topic we could all enjoy," Piper said.

"Hmm. I have a hard time believing such a topic exists," I said.

"Me too," said Kea. "Maybe we just shouldn't talk."

"Why don't you tell us more stories of the Sanctuary?" Piper said. "I'm sure at least two of us would be interested."

I felt like there weren't many stories to tell, but I did my best. I described our festivals and feasts, our time-worn traditions, our lives of solitude, silence and service. I told them about the few Abnormals who managed to defy all the rules and _stand out_ \- the ones like Rabbit Reader, who used the corrective lenses in their mask to send reflections dancing across the wall during lessons, and Dog Healer, who came to the Sanctuary relatively late in life as a replacement for our old Healer and caused a bit of a ruckus when they couldn't quite fit in. Dog Healer had been my friend - as far as we were allowed to have friends in the Sanctuary - and it hurt to think of them; I was glad when Piper volunteered to give me a break and talk about her travels. She'd been to six of the fifteen regions and described them all in great detail to us. January contributed a few stories of his own and in the end even Kea relaxed enough to tell us about their home, Twilight Lift.

Louis began to flag early in the afternoon and as the sun started to disappear behind the distant trees Piper announced that we'd better stop to make camp. Unfortunately, we were on a rather open stretch of road and there didn't seem to be any real cover nearby. We all piled out anyway to stretch our limbs. Kea went off on patrol, Piper tended to Louis and January and I sat on some low rocks, admiring the sunset.

"Louis is holding up pretty well so far," Piper said, coming over to us. "I left him strapped in for now."

"Convenient for us, though I can't help but pity him for it," I said.

"If it starts to bother him later we can always release him from the harness. How are you holding up, Kea?"

The officer was walking towards us with an uneasy look in their eyes. "I don't know. I kept thinking I -" They stopped and stiffened. We all followed their gaze.

Someone was peeking at us over a nearby hedge. Two someones. Three. We all stood up warily.

"Get in the carriage!" Kea hissed, but January and I didn't budge.

"This is no time to be stubborn," Piper said. "Take care of yourselves before it's too late."

"It's already too late," said a familiar voice. Out from the hedges stepped Trinette, cool as you please, still as impeccably dressed as when I'd last seen her in Mierre. The dying sunlight gleamed on the weapon in her hand. "That was a good dodge. If not for my new friends here, I might've lost you. Duke January? Be a dear and come this way. The rest of you can just stand there quietly, if you please. You all want to avoid violence, right?" Even from twenty feet away I could swear I saw the cold gleam in her violet eyes.

January looked at us, unsure of what to do. Piper said, very slowly and distinctly, "Listen. The rest of us aren't going anywhere now. You've got three options: go with her, lock yourself in the carriage or run away into the ruins on your own."

His eyes widened. Trinette called out, "I wouldn't try the third option if I were you. I do need you alive, but I'm a pretty good shot and you've got a lot of leg to hit. One bullet there _probably_ won't kill you."

Piper looked at January and nodded. He slowly began to walk down the road toward Trinette, as if being pulled against his will. The bandits who'd been watching rushed forward and latched onto his arms. Piper and Kea were glaring at Trinette, fuming silently, while I tried my best to remember that January was going to get out of this alive.

"Thank you," Trinette said as January reached the place where she was standing. "And now -" She brought her gun up in a blur. I moved on instinct. There was a _CRACK_ just before pain exploded in my side somewhere. Chaos followed, shouting and whinnying and January calling my name. I barely had time to realize I was on the ground before everything went dark and quiet.


	8. Future Imperfect

Darkness. But I was aware of the darkness, which was a change. I felt heavy and numb except for one dull pain somewhere on my left side. Once I got to the point of remembering that I had eyelids, I opened them slowly and saw a night sky full of stars. Next on my list of realizations came the fact that I was on my back. Also, my head hurt. Where was everyone? What had happened?

"Ah. I'm glad you're awake." I turned my head slightly and Piper moved into my field of view. "How are you feeling?"

I didn't know how to answer that question yet, so I decided to ask one myself. "Where...?" is all I managed to get out.

"Are we? Or Kea and January?" She frowned. "I'll explain in a bit. You need a little more time to recover."

I frowned and began to take stock, shifting a little. I slowly realized that Piper was holding my hand. How very strange. She let go almost as soon as I realized it and settled herself into a more comfortable position.

"You like stories, right?" Piper said. "Why don't I tell you one. A story about me. For most of my life I had one goal: to be a historian. I was passionate about the past. I loved learning all the ways we got to the world we have today. As I got older I also got more and more realistic; I realized that being a historian requires a lot of education, which requires money. I decided to get some hands-on experience instead, and since exploring ancient sites for historical reasons wasn't something I could get paid for, I became the apprentice of a cartographer. Then, after my mentor retired, I got into... treasure hunting. More lucrative, just as educational, but dangerous. I got robbed more than once." I flinched and she paused a moment before continuing. "It wasn't bad. I didn't put up a fight and they didn't give me a hard time. I just kept at it, doing cartography on the side. Eventually I stopped thinking about either the past or the future; all that mattered was taking care of myself. I learned to ride and drive and fight, all sorts of things, but..." She sighed. "I only thought about where I was, not how I got there. Exactly the opposite of how I'd started out. And I didn't even realize it until I came on this trip and heard all your talk about the future." She picked at the hem of her skirt. "And, well, I'm not sure if there's much of a point to the story. It felt worth mentioning, somehow."

"... I see. I hope you don't forget about your dream again."

"Me too." Then it was quiet. I kept shifting around and finally felt strong enough to work myself into a sitting position. Piper looked at me with concern. "You sure you're ready to get up?"

"Yes. Thank you for taking care of me."

She smiled, but there was none of her usual cheer in it. "It was no trouble. I'm sorry, but we did the best we could with your injury."

"I'm sure you..." I stopped. Injury? Oh, yes, of course. I was hurt somewhere. I tried to inspect my left side, squinting because my eyes wouldn't quite focus properly. There was blood on my new cloak and tunic, which bothered me a little, and something looked off about my arm. I raised it slowly; everything seemed to be in working order. I moved my hand and... wait. My hand. My... hand...

I held my arm in front of my face. I felt like an idiot. I didn't know what to do or what to say. "My hand..."

"... is gone. Yes. But Kea's still alive because of you."

"Still alive." I looked at her in a daze. "Kea. January." I searched our surroundings briefly. We were still near the spot where we'd been attacked. The carriage was some distance away, smashed up against a tree, and Louis was sleeping peacefully a little nearer to us. I couldn't understand anything that was happening, so I continued my line of brilliant questioning. "What...?"

"You remember Trinette showing up, right?" I nodded. "Well, she shot and you jumped at about the same time. I can't believe how fast you were. If that's future seeing, maybe it's more useful than I thought." She gave me a half-smile. "Trinette was aiming for Kea. She had a clear shot and intended to use it, but you got in the way. After you hit the ground things got a little hectic. Kea and I scrambled to get you and us into cover; January ran forward, but the bandits dragged him back, none too gently; and Louis started thrashing around because of all the noise, broke out of the harness and kicked the carriage away." Piper took a deep breath. "Trinette looked like she wanted more target practice, but she had to dive out of the way of the carriage and then Louis just kept stamping around in a panic. I'm sure she realized that she'd have a hard time stopping _him_ with a bullet, plus January was thrashing around like a maniac too, at least until one of the bandits hit him pretty hard. At that point, Trinette turned around and took off down a trail leading into the hills, followed by the ones who were carrying January, while Louis ran off into the ruins somewhere. Kea and I did our best to patch you up with wound healer and bandages from the carriage's first aid kit. We... could only do so much." I gazed at the knot of bandages beneath my left sleeve. I had no desire to see what was underneath. "Kea went after the bandits. I went after Louis - he hadn't gone far - then started gathering up our remaining supplies. Kea wants you and I to head back to the hospital in Mierre as soon as you're able."

I nodded again. Nodding was easy. It didn't require any hands. I decided I should make a list of all the two-handed things I couldn't do now, for future reference. I also decided that I had to _get up and do something_ before I completely lost my mind. "I see. Well, we must hurry if we are going to catch up to Kea. They have quite a head start."

"You're not going back to the city?"

"No."

She didn't move. "Are you absolutely certain? Wound healer may be tough stuff, but it isn't infallible. You'll be in an unfortunate spot if that injury reopens along the way."

"Noted."

Piper smiled. "I'll pack up our supplies and get Louis ready. Drink that water while I'm at it."

I picked up a bottle which had been set by my side. I tried to open it with my left hand at first, but that didn't quite work, so I made do with my knees and my right hand instead. As I sat waiting and gazing down the road, I saw something glint in the moonlight, which, for lack of a better distraction, I went to investigate. I found January's monocle and opera glasses lying in the dust. The monocle was shattered to bits - someone must have stepped on it - but the glasses were intact. I picked them up and stared at them for awhile before putting them in a pocket of my cloak. Why did he carry those things around, anyway? I used to think it was charming, but suddenly it just struck me as silly. I was staring down the road, dully wondering what was wrong with me, when Piper walked over with Louis. "Ready?" she said.

"Yes."

She nodded and climbed up on Louis' back, then reached down to help me up. I wrapped my arms tightly around her waist. "Okay there?"

"Yes." At another time I might have been nervous, but I couldn't feel a single thing at the moment.

We started forward down the trail. The night was still young and we had an abundance of moonlight so it wasn't difficult for us to follow the rough track as it wound up toward higher ground. The hills drew slowly closer and the path began to climb in places. It was somewhere around midnight when we came to a steep, rocky pass. Louis slowed and stopped and there was Kea in the middle of the trail.

"We can't be using Louis like that anymore. He makes too much noise. From now on we're all walking," Kea said as we dismounted. Piper gave them a coy smile.

"Sounds like you were expecting us."

"Of course. Why would you start obeying my orders now?" They looked exhausted but they were trying to sound upbeat, at least until they glanced at my wrist and cringed slightly. "June, I... no, there's no time now. We've still got to free January. Follow me."

It soon became clear that there was a network of small trails running through the hills; some seemed to lead back toward Mierre, but others wandered off into the distance, their destinations unknown. The main road followed the river and thus took the long way around, so these trails were obviously how the bandits had kept pace with us. Their better knowledge of the land had been our undoing, not to mention the fact that they'd managed to get in touch with Trinette. Or maybe they'd been in league with her from the beginning.

Kea led us unerringly forward. Eventually they motioned for silence and we began creeping through a line of thick brush towards a small thicket of trees. We heard voices. Between the trees we caught glimpses of a campsite with a single central fire and several tents pitched around it. Kea held up a hand for us to stop. We could see Trinette now, along with a few followers, and off to one side, January. He was tied to a dead tree trunk, his head hanging forward on his chest.

Trinette turned and entered one of the tents. Three or four others ducked into various tents as well, leaving one of their number to rove about the camp aimlessly. After ten minutes of watching the guard do nothing but yawn and scratch themselves, we were preparing to retreat and discuss the situation when something important finally happened.

January woke up.

He lifted his head slightly to see where the guard was. At the moment, they were off in the thickets on the other side of camp, their back to him. January looked toward Trinette's tent, his eyebrows creasing slightly, and in the firelight I could see blood on his face and ruffled collar. Seconds later, Trinette's gun came floating out of her tent. There was a small glow about it in the darkness.

Kea and Piper both jumped a little. I held my breath.

As January focused on the gun, parts of it began to shift around. A strange compartment opened and out floated some tiny chunks of metal.

Kea was having a silent fit next to me.

With a look of anger, January sent the metal chunks sailing far off into the distance. The goon turned in the direction of the small noises they made and January tossed the gun the other way, then let his head fall again. The goon resumed their patrol after a few minutes of looking around in confusion. Once they wandered off again, the light returned, this time on the ropes binding January.

Even in the dark, I could see that Kea's eyes were as wide as saucers. They turned and whispered furiously to Piper, who nodded and moved off, then whispered to me, "Be ready."

We watched and waited. The glow around the ropes faded in and out as the goon made their rounds. Eventually, the ropes began to loosen noticeably, and Kea started vibrating with excitement and expectation. Not long afterwards we heard a loud noise coming up on us from out of the darkness. It built to a crescendo and Piper burst into the camp on Louis' back, wielding a thick tree branch in her free hand. There was general chaos. People came out of tents and then ducked back into them almost immediately as either Piper or Louis took a whack at their heads. Kea took off toward the camp as soon as Piper showed up; we ran in, grabbed January, who had just released the last of his bonds, and took off into the forest again, running for the pass through the hills, listening to the angry yelling and whinnying fade behind us as we went.

Once we got there we collapsed, gasping for air. I was feeling light-headed. Kea kept staring at January, who was wiping blood and sweat and tears of joy off his face. "You all came!" he said.

Kea shrugged, their eyes still on January's face. "Well, what else were we supposed to do?"

I tried to be happy that he was safe, but my arm and head were throbbing, I was exhausted, and I hadn't really processed the events of the last few hours yet. I didn't have the energy to feel much of anything. Instead I pulled the opera glasses from my pocket and offered them to him. "Here... you dropped these."

His smile softened. "Thank you." As he reached out to accept the glasses, his eyes fell on my left wrist. He froze. The fingers he'd extended shrank into a fist. "Your hand... is it... alright?" His expression was tense.

I didn't know what to say; eventually I went with the truth. "No. It is gone."

He looked horrified. "Gone?"

"Yes."

He stood up slowly, still staring at my wrist. "Oh no... How could..." He choked and took a few steps back, wrapping his arms around himself. "I can't... I shouldn't..." He didn't really seem to be talking to me at that point. He kept staring, shivering and mumbling to himself, so I stood up, walked over and put the opera glasses into his hand myself. He accepted them, but closed his eyes tightly so he didn't have to look at me. I turned and walked away. Suddenly I wanted to be alone.

Piper rode up a few minutes later. She cast a curious look around at the three of us and nodded to Kea as she dismounted. "I led them as far away as I could. I'm not sure if anyone saw which way you guys took off."

Kea stood up with a sigh. "We should keep moving. We need to find a secure place to rest for a few hours." They started off down the other side of the pass. Piper followed, leading Louis, then January, still refusing to look at me. I brought up the rear. Kea and Piper kept looking back to make sure I was keeping up, but January kept his eyes forward.

We eventually found a secluded spot up in the hills that met with Kea's approval. There were only a few hours left before daylight but we settled in to get as much sleep as we could, setting a watch in shifts of two. I volunteered to go first and Kea joined me. January went to sleep without a word.

Kea and I sat at the front of the shallow cleft in the hills where we'd all bedded down. I was rubbing my left wrist absently when Kea spoke up, keeping their voice low. "Hey, listen, I wanted to thank you... you know, for what you did earlier." Their voice sounded strained with unaccustomed emotion. "I can't make it up to you, I know that. I'm just sorry I couldn't have done a better job."

"It was not your fault." I meant it, though I couldn't help sounding drained.

"That's not really true. Everyone had suggestions, but the decisions were mine. If I'd made better choices this would never have happened. I don't want to make this all about me, but I gotta say how it is."

"I thought your decisions were sound. For the most part."

They laughed shortly. "Didn't sound that way."

"I know. I was... distracted."

"You're not now?"

A long silence. "I am no longer sure." An even longer silence. "How could I not have noticed?"

"Hmm?"

"How could I not have noticed that my hand was gone? I paid such close attention. I tried to remember every detail."

"... oh, yeah, your vision. It was pretty dumb to miss such a big detail." Silence. "It must have been an amazing scene if you were able to miss something like that, right?" Silence. "Ahem. Well, ya know, I've seen people in my field get injuries like this before and I've never been able to come up with somethin' meaningful I could say. That hasn't changed, I guess. But I think you'll be okay again eventually. And I don't mean 'cause you've seen your future and all that. And I don't mean you should try to get over it right away. Take all the time you need. There's no rush."

"Three years, perhaps?"

"If you need it. A lot can happen in three years."

"A lot can happen in three days, it seems."

"Yeah. It sure can." They sat back and looked up at the stars. "How bad are you feeling?"

"Bad enough. But my hand is not really the issue."

"Him?" They nodded their head toward January's still form.

"In a way. I feel foolish. I have been going over the last few days in my mind and I suspect I have made myself ridiculous."

"You sure did. It was making us sick." Kea gave me a friendly nudge. "But really, it was between you and January. Anyone could see he was happy with it."

"I am not sure he should have been." I looked over at him. "What were we so happy about, exactly?"

"Mmm... A lot of crazy people fall in love just by looking at a stranger. At least you two had an actual future vision to go off of."

"I seem to have missed some rather crucial points of that vision." I looked at my wrist ruefully. "Is the January I Saw the same as the one who is here now? Am I the same?" I sat back, rubbing my wrist again. "I do not know how I can face him again. I do not like the way he looks at me now. I do not know how to talk to him. And he is avoiding me, too. Everything has changed."

"Yeah, chalk that up as another similarity between the two of you. Maybe time apart is what you both need."

"And if we cannot go back to the way things were before?"

Kea shrugged. "Then the honeymoon's over. You've still got the marriage. Just because you're not as crazy as possible for each other doesn't mean you won't be happy together." They paused. "Besides, you'd be better off without such a skittish, fanciful, reckless guy. You should enjoy this free time."

I turned to face Kea, shocked. "How could you say that?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

I stopped myself and shook my head. "Ah. Point taken."

"Right. Whatever's there, build from it."

"How?"

"Beats me. You're going to have to figure that one out yourselves."

We sat in silence until it was time to wake the others. I didn't find any answers, but before Kea and I turned in, I made sure to thank them.


	9. Pride Goeth Before a Fall

With a few hours of sleep under our belts and the sun rising over the tops of the hills, we gathered to plan our next move. Piper's first suggestion was breakfast.

"How much food do we have left?" said Kea.

"If we're very careful, enough for today and one more meal tomorrow," Piper said. "Would you mind, January? You're closest."

He stood up, retrieved four packages from the crudely-constructed saddle bags we'd made for Louis and began handing them around. He looked at me uncertainly as he approached.

"I am glad you are safe," I said, which was true.

He gave me a small smile. "Ah, yes, thanks to you. I apologize for causing so much trouble."

"There is no need to apologize." An awkward silence fell between us again. I turned to my food package, wondering how I was going to open it with one hand, and noticed light fading from it. It had been opened for me. I looked back at January, but he had already walked off. "Thank you." I wasn't sure if he'd heard me, since I could barely hear myself.

Kea ate their meal quickly and got right down to business. "Alright, here's what I've been thinking. We can take turns riding Louis to save our strength, but we still can't hope to reach the safe house until late afternoon tomorrow. It'll be slow going - we've gotta move carefully over these hills so we're not spotted. At least the playing field is a bit more even now; Trinette still has more people, but she doesn't have her gun. We hope."

"Her..." January paused.

"Yeah. We saw what you did with it."

"Oh. OH." He stopped eating. "Oh." There was a long silence. January looked as if he expected to be struck by lightning any moment.

"Where did you learn how guns work?" Kea said at last.

That clearly wasn't the question January had been expecting. He stammered incoherently for a few seconds. "I... uh... Truthfully, my family owns a few. All I knew is that I never wanted to see it used again. I would've destroyed it utterly had I the power."

"I was equally impressed with your rope trick," Piper said. "Makes me think Louis had some help getting free earlier."

"Ah, yes, that. I did fiddle with his harness a bit. I could relate to being held back by something and thought it might be better for us if he was loose."

"And it worked." Piper smiled at him.

"I'm glad. I was so worried." He looked at Kea. "Is that... all you wanted to discuss?"

"For now. We'll need to have a long talk once this is all over. A _very_ long talk." We ate the rest of our meal in silence.

The day was spent traveling, keeping to whatever cover we could find and staying away from the crests of the hills except when Kea went up to scout. I was still weaker than the others and rode on Louis' back whenever Kea deemed it safe. We had to trust Piper's navigational skills to keep us headed in the right direction; January had only a vague idea of where his house lay from where we were. The awkwardness between the two of us remained. We didn't say a word to each other for hours at a time.

It was all rather surreal. I knew that I didn't have a left hand, but it still _felt_ like my hand was there. My vague sense that something was missing had nothing to do with my injury. Thinking about it too much gave me a headache, but I had little else to do, since we were moving in silence. Kea had finally gotten their way on that point.

It was growing dark when we came around the shoulder of yet another hill. The number of ruins around us had been slowly increasing, as if we were passing through the ghostly remains of an ancient metropolis. We could just barely see the river below us, a dark, winding gash between the piles of stone. January pointed suddenly at a low stone arch some distance ahead. "I recognize that. You need to come through here to reach the house."

Kea let out a sigh of relief. "Finally! Actual progress. Maybe it's a sign that we should get some rest."

"Sounds reasonable," Piper said. "We should each catch a little sleep, then get going before the sun rises and continue on until we reach the safe house."

"Yeah. We can eat at the same time we're on watch, too; get it all over with in one cycle," said Kea.

After a little bit of searching, we decided to take shelter in the remains of one of the nearby buildings. It was built back into the hillside, offering extra protection from prying eyes, and had a few standing walls near the entrance which were large enough to conceal Louis. Piper and January set to work clearing our sleeping area of debris while Kea rebandaged my arm. January wandered near us at one point.

"So... is it alright?" he asked quietly, not stopping his work.

Kea nodded. "The wound sealer is still intact, so you could say it's as good as can be."

"I'm glad." He worked in silence awhile longer. "You know, I'm truly grateful to have gloves. There are innumerable splinters in here."

"Yes," I said, "they are quite good to have."

"Uh, yeah, I like gloves too," said Kea, but I shook my head.

"Your gloves hardly count."

"What? You got something against my gloves?"

"Indeed," said January. "They neglect to cover the fingers, which is arguably the most important function of gloves."

"My gloves are just fine."

I shrugged. "If you say so." We laughed and I felt better than I had all day.

Piper and I took second watch. We were both tired, having gotten only a little more sleep than the previous night, so it was difficult to stay awake and keep a careful eye on the land around us. I was glad when the stars finally began fading in the sky and a line of light grew on the horizon. I was much less happy when we began to spot movement among the ruins. I slipped back into the building.

"Wake up, everyone. The bandits are coming!"

Kea was awake and outside almost immediately. They took one look around, then groaned and rubbed their face. "They're coming this way, that's for sure."

January had scrunched himself up like a caterpillar and mumbled when Kea poked him, but soon he too joined us. As we watched, more moving figures appeared, this time in the opposite direction from the first group. Kea grumbled. "It's not gonna be safe to try and hide it out here until they pass."

"In that case," January said, "I suggest we make our move now. It won't be long before they're fully upon us."

"You got it. We're leaving." Kea led the way over to where Louis was hitched and freed him, then we started off in the only direction left to us. Kea and Piper started debating between themselves whether it was worth piling everyone on Louis and making a run for it. He wouldn't be able to carry us all far, but he'd be fast. That argument ended when we rounded the next hill and saw where we were. The edge of the land fraction.

"Cornered." Kea looked miserable.

"Take heart, Kea," January said. "We're still close."

"We'd be close if we hadn't been spotted so soon." They slumped down, dejected. "The bandits are probably headed this way. We have to come up with a new plan, fast."

January looked around. "Perhaps a ledge will do? I could lift us to an unreachable spot for a time."

"Wait!" I stared at him. "You can lift people?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be able to?"

"It is a rarely needed skill and the training process is dangerous. Risers in the Sanctuary are never permitted to do it. You have actually lifted a person before?"

"Indeed. How did you believe I escaped from Trinette in the first place? She attacked my hotel and my police escorts told me to hide while they dealt with the situation. I panicked and only thought of getting away. When the police left my room, which was on the fourth floor, I made my way to a window and stepped out. After making sure there was no one in the alley beneath, of course. I used my power to slow my fall and ran off through the back streets."

"Well, that explains that," Kea said, still morose.

"January, exactly _how_ adept are you at carrying people?" I said eagerly.

"I fear I don't know how to measure my ability at that skill. Why do you ask?"

"If I remember correctly, your original plan was to escape to your home on the surface."

He frowned at me, but then his eyes grew wide and an unusually confident smile appeared on his face. "I see! Yes, I could do that."

Piper nodded, smiling as well. Kea looked uneasy. "You're not suggesting we jump off the land fraction?"

"Yes," I said, "precisely! We would finally be safe. No one could possibly follow us there. They might even lose track of us entirely."

Kea's right eyebrow twitched and they balled their hands into fists. "Then let's do it."

"Are you absolutely certain you won't drop us?" Piper said.

"Very certain. I can carry everyone - except for Louis. I doubt he'll remain still and his struggles would almost surely break my hold."

"That's alright. He belongs here. He's probably more than ready to amble on back to that field we found him in." Piper rubbed Louis' neck tenderly. "Thank you, Louis. Honestly, you were probably the most capable member of this team." We all patted Louis sadly while Kea took our remaining water bottles from his back.

"Alright, it's now or never," they said, and we headed for the edge. Looking over, we saw a layer of clouds below us and, far below that, glimpses of the featureless brown plain of the surface, but before we could make the leap, a small commotion made us turn around. Louis was distrustfully eyeing a green-haired woman with violet eyes. She only had two goons with her at the moment and, more importantly, no gun.

"Really, Duke," Trinette said, "suicide is a little extreme, don't you think? Ellon's not a bad place." January only glared at her. "I'll even let your friends go this time. What are they, police officers? Bodyguards?" She looked at me. "Come to think of it, I've seen you before somewhere."

"Yes, back in Mierre, though I was clothed rather differently."

She raised an eyebrow. "Right. The fugitive Seer. People from the Sanctuary always have a certain air about them." She turned back to January. "Come with me. It'll be better than death, I promise."

"I decline," January said, and stepped off the land fraction. Kea followed him immediately while Piper paused just long enough to give Trinette a jaunty wave.

The bounty hunter seemed more amused than frustrated as she looked at me. "Really? Is this the future you choose, Seer?"

"Yes. I do not envy you yours." I turned and followed the others.

For a few breathless moments, I was in free fall; clouds rushed up to surround me in their damp, white blanket, but before I had time to really panic, a soft light began to glow around me. My speed gradually slowed. I soon caught up with the others, all of them bathed in the same gentle light and drifting downward like autumn leaves.

"Good work, January." Kea sounded calm but looked extremely nervous.

January waved a hand slightly. "Let's not be too congratulatory. There remains a great distance between us and safety."

We did our best not to disturb the Riser's concentration further. We fell in slow motion all that morning, watching the clouds get ever further above us and the flat, yellow plain get ever nearer. The sun was hot and we soon found ourselves grateful for every passing breeze. Somewhere around noon we finally landed on a mix of brown dirt and yellow sand with a soft _thump_. We all sat down immediately, drinking in the feel of solid ground beneath us. A glance back at the sky showed tiny glimpses of the fraction through the cloud layer.

"Is this even real anymore?" Kea gasped. "I can't believe we actually jumped off the land fraction!"

Piper was on her back, gazing upwards in wonder. "Hah. Alright. How far do we still have to go?" She glanced over at January, who had been lying on the sand with his eyes closed. He roused himself.

"What? Ah, yes, my home. It depends a great deal on how quickly we travel. I know the direction we must go from here, at least."

She nodded. "Well, that's good enough for me. Let's get started."

Kea jumped up. "Right. We can't take long. We only have a little water left." January rose more slowly.

"You may be interested to know that my employees have placed strategic caches of supplies at locations along the route, in case of emergencies. We will almost certainly be able to restock before arriving at our final destination."

They gave a sigh of relief. "Good. The desert is the last place you wanna be with no supplies. Point the way, January. We've gotta move."

We moved, but not quickly. Heat, fatigue and hunger began taking their toll. My arms and legs felt like they weighed twice as much as normal. We all began shedding as many layers of clothing as we could; January removed his vest and gloves, Kea took off their heavy jacket and turned their scarf into a turban, Piper tied up her heavy skirts as best she could, and I removed my cloak, my gloves and, finally, not without a last lingering twinge of guilt, my veil. The others looked at me briefly as I did so, but made no comment.

Eventually we came upon a long line of parallel metal strips raised slightly above the level of the plain. January grinned broadly. "Oh joy, the railroad! We're definitely on the correct track, if you will."

"So what do we do now that we're here?" said Kea.

January pointed to our left. "If we follow it that way we'll arrive at a storage location." He was right. Before long a vaguely town-shaped pile of debris shimmered out of the haze ahead of us. Abandoned settlements had loomed up in the distance on either side of us before now, but January aimed straight for this one.

"So, you know this place?" Kea said.

"Yes, I'm certain we passed by it when I first left to visit Mierre. There's almost definitely a cache."

They nodded. "Okay, I'm sure everyone is thinkin' it'd be real nice to collapse on the ground right now, but we better find the stuff before we lose all the light. Let's split up. And be careful. This place looks really unstable, and I don't have the energy to dig you out if a building falls on you."

We all wandered around the area, peeking into various crumbling structures, but it was Kea who found the supplies - pre-packaged food of a much higher quality than we'd had before and a large tank of water. January used his power to distribute the items, opening the packages for all of us as they dropped into our hands.

Piper laughed. "That's a pretty neat trick, but does it really take less effort than just opening the packages normally?"

"I imagine it takes equivalent effort, but this way is so much more exciting."

Piper smiled and I chuckled. "Thank you, January," I said.

"Do you have any idea what this place is? Or used to be?" Piper continued, looking around.

"No. I imagine scholars come down here at times, but for the most part they prefer to stick to the fractions. Understandably."

Kea was digging into their food packet with gusto. "How much longer 'til we reach your house?" they asked between bites.

"As best I can tell, it will be several hours yet. It's nearly sunset now; there's little chance we'll be able to reach it today."

They sighed and nodded. "Okay. Why don't we all get some sleep and start again tomorrow?"

"Not a bad idea," Piper said, and with that we all stretched out on the ground in the long shadows of days gone by.


	10. Sanctuary

I woke up first. The stars were out above us, closer and brighter than I'd ever seen them. The others were still asleep, so I stole away without waking them - or so I thought. Not long after I'd settled in some yards away, gazing up at the sky, January joined me. He sat down at a polite distance and wrapped his arms around his knees.

"I wish to apologize for my behavior. I was afraid of being rejected, of hurting you even further, of... everything. As you've no doubt realized by this time, I'm quite the coward." I couldn't see his expression from where I sat, but he sounded resigned.

"I thought you behaved very bravely at times."

"Thank you, but it was a false courage. Your vision gave me so much confidence in our perfect future that I thought nothing bad thing could possibly happen to us. I was soon proven bitterly wrong." He brought out the pair of opera glasses he'd been carrying all this time. "Did I ever tell you why I have these? To hide behind. I brought them to my meeting with the mayor because I thought that if I appeared to be _very_ busy scanning my surroundings through them, there was less of a chance that anyone would try and talk to me." He sighed. "I've been hiding for so long, there's nothing else I know."

"I'm not without fault here. I completely failed to take into account how much and how quickly things change outside the Sanctuary; I assumed that you, now, were exactly the same as you would be three years from now, and I assumed the same about myself." I shook my head ruefully. "I shouldn't have been so accepting. I should've asked more questions. I should've studied who you are instead of dreaming about who you will be."

"And I was so desperate for companionship that I would've accepted anyone at all who could understand my Abnormality. I saw you as a cure for loneliness, rather than... you."

"We have so much in common."

He chuckled. "We do, don't we?"

"I'm sorry for encouraging you to look into your future and putting you in this situation."

"Please don't be. It was a good experience for me, in more ways than one."

"Then I take that back."

He laughed again. "Wonderful."

I felt lighter. I wasn't sure exactly how this had happened, but it was exactly what I'd been hoping for. "I do care about you, January. I'd like you to be part of my life. I hope you still feel the same way."

"One more thing we have in common. I do feel the same. I'd love nothing more."

"Good." We smiled at each other. He could actually _see_ my smile this time, I realized, which made me smile all the more. He moved closer to me and leaned against the wall, looking much more relaxed.

"It's hard to believe I'm almost home. At least my Abnormality has been a benefit, for once. It's been so ruinous to my family. My mother." I put my left arm around him hesitantly and he leaned into me. "May I ask you something?"

"Certainly."

"How is it Abnormals obtain their masks?"

"Are you asking what mask you would've worn?"

He looked a little abashed. "Well, yes, that was the underlying motive for my question."

"Each Abnormal picks their own mask out of the ones available in their group. No other Seer could choose to be Buffalo, for example, but a Riser could. Which mask would you have chosen, do you think?"

He hesitated. "You may think it silly. It's not nearly as rare and mysterious as a buffalo."

I took his ungloved hand and squeezed it, wondering at the feel of his warm skin against mine. "Every mask is worthwhile."

"What about a... a cat mask?"

I nodded. "Hmm. Cat Riser. Good choice."

He brushed his head softly against my hair. "Cat Riser and June."

"No. No, you're not truly Cat Riser, and to be honest, I've never really felt like a 'June.' I'm Buffalo Seer. You're January. For good or ill."

We looked at each other and smiled again. Somehow, it felt as if I were seeing him for the first time.

We heard noises behind us - Piper and Kea were stirring. Eventually they both sat up and looked around, finally spotting us off to one side.

"Hello over there," Piper said.

"What are you two up to?" said Kea. We stood up and walked over.

"Please excuse us. We were a little distracted," said January.

"Yeah, what a surprise, the two of you getting caught up in each other." Kea stood and brushed themselves off. "This is it, the real last leg of the trip. There's gonna be no stopping until we get there."

We walked for the rest of the night and into the morning. It was easier than the day before, both because the air was cooler and because we'd finally had enough to eat, along with _almost_ enough sleep. The landscape all looked the same as it had yesterday until, as the sun rose behind us, a dark shape appeared ahead. It got larger as we got closer and eventually resolved itself into a long, high, mossy-looking wall. January walked right up and laid a hand on the solid surface.

"This is it." We gave a collective sigh of relief. "And since we're in a hurry..." He put both hands against the stone and the wall began to glow softly. There was a harsh sound of gears turning and a previously-invisible gate slowly cranked open. January turned back to us. "Please tell no one that the gate can be opened that way."

"Got it," said Kea, while Piper and I nodded. January beckoned us inside.

"Welcome to my home, dear friends. Finally."

It was like stepping into another world. Lush grass carpeted the ground and tall bushes flanked a neat cobblestone walkway which ran before us straight up to a huge brick mansion. People rushed out toward us, overjoyed, full of welcome and questions. As a group they ushered us through large double doors and down an immaculate hallway lined with soft carpet. I barely had time to take in the deep reds and golds of the furnishings and rich brown of the woodwork before we were guided into a sitting room. The people vanished, as if by magic, after a few quiet commands from January, and we were left alone.

The new room was decorated in greens and yellows and soft browns; between the windows were flowering plants in tall, elegant stands, and plush chairs and sofas sat invitingly all around us. We were safe. I was home. I sat down wearily and, before I knew it, I was asleep.

When I woke up, afternoon sunlight was filtering into the room. January was dozing on the couch next to mine, Piper on another, and Kea was curled up in a comfy armchair. I stretched back out again lazily, but soon Kea stirred, then Piper, and before long we were all awake and eagerly digging into an elaborate meal which had been skillfully prepared to us. _Finally_ I got to see and smell and taste what real Normal food was like. It was delicious, but, of course, after the last few days, almost anything would've tasted good to me. We finally sat back full and satisfied as the staff cleared the plates away.

"I hope the food was acceptable," January said, as gracious as ever.

"Excellent, though, if you're still curious, it's not very much like the food served in the Sanctuary. I'm sorry. Perhaps there are other Normal recipes that resemble Abnormal ones."

He laughed. "It doesn't seem so important now. I'm surprised you remembered that I cared."

"Of course. I understood your desire to find common ground."

Kea made a face and stood up. "If you have a radio, I'd best report back to Mierre," they said. "I'm sure the captain has gone half-crazy wondering what's happened to us. I'm not gonna to tell him exactly where we are, though, or... how. That's something that can be dealt with later."

"Thank you for your discretion." A look of sadness crossed January's face, but then he smiled warmly. "I'll guide you to where the radios are kept. There are several messages I need to send to family members now that I've arrived safely."

The rest of the afternoon was taken up by washing and changing. We had to make do with what spare clothing was available until our things were washed, but everyone ended up with a robe or a set of pajamas more or less in their size, except for January, of course, who already had spare clothing in exactly his size available, along with a new monocle. The employees we met were friendly and helpful, but not pressing, which I greatly appreciated, and by early evening we were all gathered in a small dining area, discussing the future. To be specific, January's future.

Kea had been wrestling with themself all day, but they seemed to have reached a decision at last. They sat back and tapped their fork against the table slowly. "So, it's gonna be pretty crazy once I report back to Mierre. I'll have to keep some of the specifics under wraps, of course, but that's expected; as a special taskforce we were already authorized to do some otherwise illegal stuff. The big issue is what to do about an unsanctioned Abnormal outside the Sanctuary." They frowned, then began talking again, slowly. "All I care about is maintaining peace in Normal society. From what I've heard, Abnormal society has its own version of peace it's trying to maintain. I'm, obviously, not the best person to make this call, but... maybe people like Buffalo Seer and January are better off outside both systems. And anyway, with this place out here, you've almost got a little walled sanctuary of your own." They sighed. "I mean, all of this should never have happened in the first place, but what's done is done and I'm not gonna turn you in."

"Thank you, Kea," said January, with a sigh of relief.

They grumbled. "Maybe I'm wrong. I'm wrong about most things anyway."

"We were very lucky to have such an open-minded officer on our taskforce," I said.

"Agreed," said January.

A few hours later I was standing outside January's bedroom door. I'd been assigned my own room and I did go there at first, but I hadn't been able to stay. When he invited me inside after I knocked I found him standing on a large balcony which overlooked the desert, enjoying the last of the sunset. He was partly undressed - only wearing an open shirt and trousers - and his long, dark hair was undone, falling in gentle waves around his shoulders. He was very distracting.

"How did your calls go?" I asked casually, sitting on a low couch which faced the setting sun.

"Quite well. My family members were overjoyed to learn I was safe and very impressed at the difficulties we encountered. Several offered to make visits to the surface in my stead on future occasions, as a precaution."

"That's nice. I expect the police will eventually find whoever placed the bounty, now that we know it comes from Ellon. And it will be interesting to see if Trinette makes any report of your death - and what will happen to her when you turn up alive after all."

"True." He ran his fingers through his hair slowly. "I also told my family that their search for the future duchess could be called off. I... didn't explain much more than that. I wasn't sure what to say."

"Why not the truth?"

"To be honest, I'm not certain what the truth is at the moment."

I smiled. "The truth is that you're married to an Abnormal and will be creating new family with her."

He looked away for a moment, then walked swiftly over and sat on the balcony floor in front of the couch, looking up at me with those delicate, dark gray eyes as he rested his head on his arms. It was much like the times we'd spoken in the carriage, yet not like them, somehow. "Is something wrong?" I said.

"No. Everything is very good right now."

"You seemed uncomfortable a moment ago."

He looked away shyly. "It's really nothing, not compared with the tumultuous events of the past few days."

"I'd still like to know."

"I... started to feel the loss of my regular attire. To tell the truth, I began to feel rather indecent."

I laughed softly. "I've felt the same way recently. I still do. I can't quite get used to having my face uncovered."

He smiled and my heart beat a little faster. "Thank you for understanding. You've always had a knack for that."

"It isn't hard to understand someone when they have a very similar point of view."

"I suppose so. We really do have so much in common."

"I agree. I know little about relationships, but you and I seem to get along very well."

"And," he said, "coincidentally, that lack of relationship experience is yet one more thing we have in common. I'd say that we've proven quite compatible." We laughed, but then a shadow passed across his face again. "Are you really going to be alright here?"

"Yes. Yes, I think I am, though I'll certainly need some assistance." We sat in silence and my mind wandered back over the last few hours. Kea and Piper had promised to come visit when they could; getting us all together in the same place at the same time might be difficult, but we were set on doing it one of these days, perhaps on some future anniversary of our journey together. "I wonder if we'll have a child by the time the reunion takes place?"

"I hope so. And I hope you will pick out a name."

"Me? I'm flattered that you'd let me decide, but I don't believe I'm the best person to ask. I know very few Normal names."

He smiled. "Perhaps, in honor of the Abnormalness we both share, an animal themed name would be appropriate. Robin or Leo, for example."

"It does sound kind of nice to have a name related to Abnormal culture." I gave him a smile in return. I noticed that he was looking at my face very intently; it was a strange, but far from unpleasant experience.

"Buffalo Seer?"

"Yes?"

"Perhaps it's wrong of me, but... I know what it _will_ be like to kiss you, three years from now, and yet I can't stop wondering what it would be like at this very moment."

I laughed and opened my arms to him. "Let's see."

Night fell. The stars danced slowly across the sky overhead. I never did go back to the room which had been prepared for me; I liked where I was.


	11. The End of the Beginning

I'm sitting in our room making preparations for the party when January comes in. I turn and smile as he walks toward me, but a fleeting memory darts across my mind and I pause as I'm starting to get up. He stops, tilts his head in confusion at the strange expression on my face, then, suddenly, looks startled himself. After a moment like this I laugh and walk over to kiss him.

It's our first kiss and our thousandth. The end of what was known and the beginning of what is unknown.

I hope Kea and Piper get here soon. It's going to be a great adventure; we wouldn't want to start without them.


End file.
